Of Lily and James
by Timelady-from-gallifrey
Summary: Lily Evans and James Potter decide to navigate the complicated minefield jealousy, love, strict teachers, essay deadlines, and, of course, each other. She really didn't know what she felt towards him. All she knew was the he was a git. He didn't really know what he felt towards her either, the only thing he was certain of was that she was bitch. God knows how they fell in love.
1. Every Story Has A Begining

In the year 1951, Annie Rennison, a proud British woman, met a Scottish man called Charles Evans in the wilderness supply shop in which she worked at. They also began dating later that year.

In the year 1954, they got married. Annie Rennison became Annie Evans.

In the year 1957, their first daughter, Petunia was born. Petunia was nothing special. She inherited her mother's thin physic and her blonde hair, and her father's dull green eyes.

In the year 1960, however, their second daughter was born. This daughter, unlike the first, seemed special. She inherited her father's green eyes, alright. But they were far from the dull, forest green eyes her father and sister had. Lily's eyes seemed so much more bright and alive then theirs did. She also had ginger hair, which was somewhat like her grandmother's. Only Lily's was twice as red, twice as bright.

In the year 1970, Lily began using magic that she was not aware of having. She also grew close to Severus Snape, and grew apart from Petunia.

In the year 1971, Lily received her letter from Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.


	2. That Time With Poor Bobby Fenwick

**A/N for those of you TLAT readers, you definitely noticed the Marlene 'Price' bit. I spent about half hour thinking for appropriate last names for her and came up with zilch. Price seemed like a perfect name for her, so I apologize deeply to Jules if I offended her by stealing borrowing Marlene Price. But I'm only taking the Price bit, not her personality. Or Adam. Only Price.**

**Also, it seems more possible, and frankly makes more sense, that Lily is Scottish, not English, due to the red hair and green eyes. Not just because I fancast Karen Gillan as Lily. Maybe a little, okay.**

"- And remember, darling," Mrs. Evans was saying at the breakfast table to her youngest daughter, Lily, "Next Christmas, Petunia will be bringing Vernon over to meet us."

"Yes mum, I remember." Lily said grimly. She wanted to point out that no way would Petunia want Lily to meet her boyfriend. She'd probably think Lily would 'contaminate' him, like she had some sort of plague.

"Where is Petunia, anyway?" Lily asked half-heartily.

"She's staying with Vernon for the week." Her mother answered briskly, getting up from the table to wash her hands in the sink. "Have you gotten your bag ready, Lily?"

Glancing at the clock, which said 6:32, Lily realized she had only half and hour to pack her stray things and get dressed to go to Kings Cross in time if she wanted to catch the Hogwarts Express.

Quickly shoving her breakfast into her mouth and swallowing in a heart beat, she swiftly got up and gave her mother a peck on the cheek.

"No need to take me to the station this year," Lily was saying as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom, "I can manage."

She had to go up another flight of stairs, which made her groan, for Lily's bedroom was in the attic.

She skidded to a halt in front of her room, (knocking over a vase in the process) "I can fix that," she muttered.

Slamming her door open, she nearly fainted at the sight before her eyes; all around her, her things were sprawled all around the floor, her spell books were scattered over her desk, a result of her previous attempt at last minute studying the night before.

"My wand," she said suddenly, running over to her desk and wrenching the drawers open. She found pens, quills, necklaces, and photos of her and her friends, Marlene Price, Mary McDonald, and Alice Prewett. But no wand.

"Dammit!" She cursed aloud. "How does someone lose a wand?"

She dropped to her knees and began searching under her bed, and yet she found nothing. Under my night stand, Lily thought. Still no wand. Inside my trunk. No wand. She was now searching desperately when a thought occurred to her. Penelope! It had to be her.

She stomped back down the two flights of stairs.

"Mum," she demanded, spotting her mother in the living room, "Where's Penelope?"

"Outside," She said suspiciously, "Why?"

"Um," Lily said sheepishly, "Because I think she has my wand."

She waited.

"WHAT?" her mother roared, "HOW DO YOU GIVE A WAND TO A DOG?"

"I didn't-" She tried to defend.

"IRESPONSIBLE!"

"Mum, I'm just going to-"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS, LILY! YOU'RE-"

"-go."

"SIXTEEN BLOODY YEARS OLD, I EXPECT BETTER FROM YOU!"

Lily was already scuttling out of the door.

The sky was a brilliant blue, and it was a windy September day.

Lily scanned the garden for Penelope, a very ugly bull dog, when-

"Argh!" Penelope had appeared out of nowhere and tackled Lily to the ground, and was now licking her face furiously.

"Penelope-" Lily panted, "get – off."

Penelope did as she was told.

"Have you seen my wand?" Lily asked irritably, getting up and picking twigs from her hair.

Penelope gave a bark, which Lily took for a yes.

"Well, go fetch!" she said earnestly.

The dog bolted to its dog house, and, sure enough, appeared moments later with Lily's wand.

"Good girl!" Lily beamed.

She dashed back into the house and checked the time. 6: 41.

Lily darted up the stairs and made her way back to her bedroom.

She was now showing thing randomly in her trunk. Yes, she needed those shoes. Did she really need her Sneakoscope? Why not? She threw it into the trunk as well. She shoved in some parchment, books, robes, shoes, and shut her trunk with a loud thud.

There. Packing was done.

Now she had to get dressed and get to the station in less than 20 minutes.

She walked up to the mirror and was startled by her reflection; she seemed paler than usual, there were dark circles under her eyes, and her usually neat, bright red hair was messy and had twigs in it from Penelope's attack.

Lily quickly took off her flannel pink pajamas and put on the fresh clothes she had laid out the previous night. She grabbed a brush and started absentmindedly brushing her hair, and while applying her eyeliner, she pocked herself in the eye several times.

She checked her watch. 10 minutes left.

She sprang down the stairs and gave her mother a hasty hug goodbye.

"Where's dad?" Lily asked anxiously.

"He's still at work, I'm afraid." Mrs. Evans answered distractedly.

"Tell him I said goodbye, will you?"

"Yes, yes, now go quickly or else you'll miss your train."

Her mother tossed the car keys to Lily.

She ran outside and clicked the car keys and heard a _beep-beep._

Lily threw her trunk in the car trunk, and made her way to the front seat.

"Merlin, there she is!" Marlene McKinnon cried, pointing at Lily.

She ran over and tackled her with a hug. Or at least that's how it went in Lily's mind. In reality, Marlene gave Lily a swift punch on the shoulder.

"Lily, you scared the living daylights out of us!" She scolded. "We were convinced you'd miss the train!"

"I know," Lily said distractedly, rubbing the spot that Marlene hit and peering over her shoulder –which was not easy, for Marlene towered over Lily a great deal- trying to get a good look at who she, Marlene, was talking to before Lily arrived. Alice and Mary saw her and waved. She waved back.

"But I lost my wand, and everything was a mess and-"

"Never mind," Marlene interrupted, "we need to get on the train. Come on, I'll help you with your luggage."

Together, they lifted Lily's trunk and walked over to Alice and Mary.

"Hi, Lily," Alice greeted with a small, her pale, round face shining.

"Hi Al – oh my God, you cut your hair!" Lily suddenly noticed.

Her usually long, chocolate brown hair was now in a pixie cut.

Alice blushed, "Do you think it looks horrible?" She asked nervously.

"It looks wonderful!" Lily answered earnestly. Alice beamed.

"Yes, keep doing what you're doing and forget I'm even here." Mary said loudly, shaking her curly, dark brown ponytail.

"Hey, Mare." Lily smirked.

Mary smiled and punched her lightly in the arm.

"Ladies," called a familiar voice from the train, "if you're done with your little tea party, the rest of Hogwarts would like to make it on time for the feast."

"Black." Lily muttered sourly, looking into Sirius Black's handsome, grinning face.

"Evans." He said evenly, "Ladies first." He held up his hands, beckoning them to go in.

Mary walked inside the train, followed by Lily, followed by Alice, and followed by Marlene.

They searched compartment through compartment, until they found one occupied by Sturgis Podmore, a Ravenclaw, and Amelia Bones, a Hufflepuff. Both were a year older than Lily.

"Hi," Alice began, "Mind if we sit here?"

"Feel free," Amelia answered with a polite smile.

"So, Marlene," Mary gushed as soon as they sat down, "Did you _see _they way Black was looking at you?"

Amelia Bones suddenly became very interested in the conversation.

"Of course I did," Marlene answered shortly.

"And?"

"And what?" She shrugged.

"Marlene, it is so obvious he likes you!" Mary said excitedly.

"Are you talking about Sirius Black?" Amelia asked anxiously.

Mary nodded. Amelia had a very ugly look on her face. Envy?

"No," Marlene shook her long blonde locks, "he doesn't."

"And why not?" Mary retorted.

"Because," Marlene said slowly, as though she were talking to a kindergartener, "he's a git and I don't want him to."

"Right." Alice scoffed, "You're the best looking girl in our year. Right, Lily?"

She nudged Lily in the ribs, who quickly replied, "Oh yes, Marlene, you just have to face facts and-"

"_You're_ one to talk," Marlene laughed.

"What d'you mean?" Lily asked thickly.

"I mean James Potter, Lily. As in, James Potter, the bloke that's been asking you out for five years."

"He's only doing that to show off to Black," Lily snapped, "Or to annoy me, or, more likely, _both."_

Alice was shaking her head.

"You are so deluded, Lily."

"Yes," Mary chimed in, "I doubt he's doing to bother you or to show off. I see the way he looks at you, Lily, We all do."

Everyone nodded, even Sturgis Podmore.

"Well, even if he does like me, you can forget about me dating him, because James Potter is a sodding toerag."

"Cut the poor bloke some slack, Lily." Marlene said.

"_Slack?" _Lily echoed, "He's been nothing but arrogant for the past five years, and I bet he'll be even more arrogant this year!"

"Lily-"

"He thinks he's so cool, the way he's the best Quidditch player in this school, and his parent's are so rich, and he's a pureblood, and he gets top grades, and he thinks he's all that superior because he's the best looking bloke in school-"

She stopped short.

"What did you say?" Alice said suspiciously.

"I said he thinks he's the best looking-"

"No," Marlene said excitedly, "you said he _is _the best looking lad in school."

"No I didn't." Lily lied. But the damage was done. Even Podmore had joined in the conversation.

"So I suppose we all just misheard you?" he said innocently.

Marlene and Mary sniggered.

"Girls," Alice said kindly, "-and Podmore, there is nothing to laugh about-"

"_Thank _you, Alice."

"Lily can't help it if she's in love."

Marlene and Mary were laughing harder than before.

"I," Lily began grumpily, "do _not _fancy Potter."

It turned out that Podmore was very observant, because he said, "We all see the way you look at him, and when you talk about him, there's this light in your eyes-"

"Yes, I believe it would be called the fiery hate of a thousand suns."

"Whatever you say." Podmore says smugly.

Now everyone was giggling. Lily had enough of it.

"That's it." She announced, getting up.

"Where are you going," Alice said, gripping Lily's arm.

"To find another compartment, because you are all mental."

"I should probably go too." Alice said, checking her watch, "I doubt being ten minutes late on my first day as Head Girl would be much of a good impression."

They both exited the compartment, and as Lily was turning around to find another seat, Alice had grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "Listen, sorry if we made you uncomfortable back there, Lily. We were just joking; I never dreamed you'd leave-"

"Don't worry about it, Alice," Lily interrupted, grinning.

Alice departed to the Head Girl compartment, and the train abruptly stopped, causing Lily to fall.

"What the-?" She began. People were soon sticking their heads outside of their compartment doors, trying to see the cause of their sudden stop.

"-question is, what happened?" Lily heard the all too familiar voice of James Potter, toerag extraordinaire, from the compartment to her left.

"The train stopped." The squeaky voice of Peter Pettigrew answered thickly.

"That was very observant, Wormtail, thank you, but what I meant was, _why _did we stop?"

"I'll go see," Remus Lupin's weak voice answered, sliding the door open.

His eyes fell on Lily.

"Lily?" he asked, bemused, "what are you doing on the floor?"

"I fell." She answered stupidly.

"Oh. Were you looking for a compartment?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Brilliant," he said brightly, offering her a hand up, "you can sit with us."

She deeply didn't want to share a compartment with Potter and Black, but seeing as though she might hurt Remus' feelings; she nodded and tried to sound upbeat, taking his hand gratefully.

The moment Lily walked into the cubicle, Black quickly shoved something that looked mysteriously like dungbombs into the pocket of his robes, giving her an odd look.

While Remus gave Potter one that looked like _I told you so._

Potter, on the other hand, ran a hand through his hair and gave Remus an approving look.

"Wormtail, make some room." Remus instructed his friend.

"Evans." Black began nonchalantly, "you're a know-it-all; would you happen to know why the train stopped?"

"No," Lily replied in a business-like tone, "but if you were ever to get an eye that matches your last name, I'd certainly know how it would have happened."

He gave her an impressed look, and at the same moment, the sharp, brisk voice of Professor McGonagall said, "Students are to remain seated, the train has broken down, it will be in order within an hour. That is all."

"_What?"_ Lily sputtered. Black gave a short, bark-like laugh.

"What on earth are we supposed to do for an hour?" she said to James, mostly because he hadn't said a word since she walked in.

"What?" he jumped, as though Lily had interrupted a very important thought, "oh – er, we could play Gobstones?"

Now it was Lily's turn to be startled; Potter hadn't made one single move one her for the whole ten seconds she was here. He hadn't asked her out, he hadn't tried to get her to sit next to him, and he hadn't suggested playing a silly game like spin the Bottle. What was his angle? Lily wondered.

"I don't know how to play." She snapped.

"Chess?"

"Don't know how."

"Exploding Snap?"

"Don't know how."

Potter gave her a smirk, but it was unlike all those smug, superior looking smirks he had given her for the past years. Lily felt a small churning in her stomach, but dismissed it.

"So, what where you lot talking about before I came in?" She asked, trying to sound polite.

Black opened his mouth to say something, with a malicious smile on his face, but Potter nudged him hard on the ribs and he shut up.

"Nothing." They all said together.

There was an awkward silence, when the compartment door slid open.

There stood a younger version of Sirius Black; although he did not look quit as good looking, and his hair was much shorter, and he had a sinister look about him, there was no mistaking that he and Sirius were related.

"Regulus." Sirius glared, with a highly unusual ugly look on his normally handsome face. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." Regulus said curtly. "I was simply checking if this compartment was empty."

"Didn't you hear McGonagall?" Lily demanded, "She said, _students are to remain seated."_

Regulus gave her a look that suggested he was talking to slime.

"My, my," he murmured, "Have we descended to this level, dear older brother? Getting cozy with goody-goody Mudbloods-"

"Regulus," Sirius said threateningly, getting up from his sit, "Get. Out. Now."

"Padfoot," Potter said through clenched teeth, "he isn't worth it."

Sirius gave Potter a startled look, as though he were not used to Potter stopping him from getting into fights, especially with people that used the term mudblood.

Regulus Black gave a slimy laugh and did as he was told.

"He's your younger brother?" Lily asked, astonished. Obviously, she knew they were related, distant cousins maybe, but brothers?

"Yeah," Black said grumpily, sitting down, "I got the good looks and charm, and he got the bitchy attitude. From my mother's side, obviously."

"Why don't you two get along?" Lily pressed on.

"Because, Regulus is just like the rest of my family." He said, as though that ended the conversation.

"So all your family is like that?" She fathomed, "How do you live with them?"

"No, not all of them. My cousin, Andromeda, she's pretty normal, and my uncle Alphie's cool too. And I don't."

"Don't what?"

"Live with them."

"What? You mean you live all on your own? You're only sixteen!"

"He lives with me." Potter replied automatically.

Lily was still unnerved by his lack of arrogance.

"And what about you?" Black asked, "What's your family like?"

"My sister is a bit… rude," Lily said slowly.

"And by rude, you mean…?"

"She calls me names, makes fun of me, and tries to ignore my existence. The usual." She said briskly.

Awkward silence.

"Attention," came the voice of Professor McGonagall, "The train has been fixed ahead of time, and we shall be on school grounds within 20 minutes."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's it." Black said, getting up and sliding the door open, "I can't take this anymore. These dungbomb's have Bobby Fenwick's name on them and they have been burning a hole in my pocket. Come on, Prongs."

"I don't think so," Potter said, casting Lily a small look but averting his eyes quickly, "just take Moony and Wormtail. And it's _Benjy _Fenwick"

"Fine." Black scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Pettigrew and Remus went unwillingly, and it struck Lily.

Potter must have gotten embarrassed about Lily refusing his proposals for a date year after year, so he told his friends that she wasn't worth it anymore, and it was probably his plane to get Lily alone to plead with her to go out with him.

It was a tad far-fetched, but knowing Potter, anything was possible.

Lily was about to open her mouth, when Potter spoke, "Now's your chance."

What? Was he talking to himself and simply didn't know he was doing it aloud?

Lily closed her mouth and opened it again, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, please." Potter said, rolling his eyes, "you only agreed to come so you wouldn't bother Moony."

Lily was astonished at how well he could read people.

"Just go back to your friends now, and I'll tell him they had to come get you because they needed emergency tampons, or something."

"But," Lily stuttered, "don't you… want…?"

It was truly unhinging Lily, how Potter was acting like he and her were old friends, and, really, he hadn't asked her our _once?_

_Whose being the arrogant one now? _Said a voice in Lily's head. _People can change. Maybe Potter has._

Lily suddenly felt very grateful for James Potter.

"Uh, thank you, but… no need. We'll be there in ten minutes."

Potter shrugged and turned to look out the window.

Lily could see a wisp of a smile play on his lips.

"Padfoot, did you bring them?" James asked his friend earnestly.

"Of course." Sirius smirked, as he extracted five dungbombs from his robes, "Fenwick won't know what hit him."

"Do you _have _to do Benjy Fenwick?" Remus sighed.

"I'd much rather do Marlene Price, now that you ask, but-"

"_Sirius."_

"I thought his name was Bobby?" Sirius said, ignoring Remus, "Well, both way, his name is stupid and he's a git."

"Yeah," James chimed in. "Fenwick is an insult to Hufflepuffs everywhere. And that's saying something."

"You just think he's a git because he dated Lily Evans last year for a whole month." Remus said warily.

"_No."_ James said firmly. "I told you lot, I'm through with Evans. The end."

In truth, of course James Potter was not over Lily Evans. Quite the contrary.

This year, he had decided that for Evan's sake, he'll try to be more 'sensible' and less 'arrogant', as she put it.

"Come on, Prongs." Sirius said lazily, "That's a filthy lie."

"You're mums a filthy lie."

"Good comeback."

Usually, James would never stoop so low as to insult someone else's mother, but Sirius hated his mother dearly, and, truth be told, James could clearly see why.

"But really, Prongs." Remus pressed. "You can tell us."

"Fine," he sighed, "yes, okay, I'm still not over her. Happy?"

Remus and Sirius both looked rather smug.

"Padfoot." Remus said irritably, "Put those things away, will you?" he indicated at the dungbomb's in Sirius's hand.

Suddenly, the train stopped.

They heard a thud outside.

"What was that?" Remus asked worriedly.

"Probably a stupid first year Hufflepuff falling down." James said dismissively. "Leave it be. The question is, what happened?"

"The train stopped." Peter said knowingly.

"That was very observant, Wormtail, thank you, but what I meant was, _why _did we stop?"

"I'll go see." Remus said.

He got up and slid the door open, and James, Sirius and Peter heard him say, "Lily?"

At that moment, James's heart leaped. He sat up bolt upright. Sirius was sniggering at him.

"What are you doing on the floor?"

"I fell." Came her slight, but distinct Scottish accent.

"Oh. Were you looking for a compartment?"

There was a pause.

"Brilliant, you can sit with us."

James knew that Lily wanted nothing less than to get up and run away; she wasn't all that friendly with him.

But still, he was grateful Remus tried.

Lily and Remus stepped inside, and Remus gave James a smug look, while Wormtail stomped lightly on Sirius's foot to indicate that he should put the dungbomb's away.

His hand automatically flew to his hair, but he regretted it the moment it happened; Lily had always hated it when James messed up his hair.

"Wormtail, make some room."

"Evans, you're a know-it-all; would you happen to know why the train stopped?" Sirius said, giving James the urge to punch his friend.

"No," Lily said, "but if you were ever to get an eye that matches your last name, I'd certainly know how it would have happened."

Sirius was impressed by her comeback, and opened his mouth to say something, but McGonagall beat him to it, "Students are to remain seated, the train has broken down, it will be in order within an hour. That is all."

"_What?"_

She certainly seemed to be ticked off.

But he loved it either way. He loved how she always spoke her mind, never fearing the consequences, and how she never followed a crowd, and how she stood up to the Slytherin's that take fun in bullying first years.

"What on earth are we supposed to do for an hour?" Lily asked James, starling him.

The old James would have suggested they play a muggle game called spin the bottle and bewitched the bottle to always land on him and Lily, but he composed himself and said, "oh – er, we could play Gobstones?"

Lily looked rather bewildered.

"I don't know how to play." She snapped at him as though it was his own fault.

He held back a grin.

"Chess?"

"Don't know how."

"Exploding Snap?"

"Don't know how."

Now he couldn't help but smirk.

"So, what where you lot talking about before I came in?" she said politely.

Sirius looked at James with a playful smile and opened his mouth, but James practically fractured him in the ribs.

"Nothing."

There was a pregnant pause, when the door flew open.

At the door, a tall Slytherin fifth year was standing with an evil look on his face.

"Regulus." Sirius glared, clenching his fists, "what do you want?"

"Nothing." Regulus said curtly. "I was simply checking if this compartment was empty."

"Didn't you hear McGonagall?" Lily asked sharply, "She said, _students are to remain seated."_

James wished she didn't say that; the last thing he wanted was for Regulus to mock her and get James all worked up.

And sure enough-

"My, my," he murmured, "Have we descended to this level, dear older brother? Getting cozy with goody-goody Mudbloods-"

"Regulus," Sirius said threateningly, getting up from his sit, "Get. Out. Now."

James wanted more than anything to shove Sirius down and punch Regulus himself, but instead, he clenched his teeth and said, "Padfoot, he isn't worth it."

To James's dismay, Sirius gave James a significant look that everyone was bound to notice that obviously suggested that James wasn't one to prevent fights. Under normal terms, James would have made Regulus regret the day he was born, but he couldn't do that in front of Lily. Vowing silently to himself that he would beat Regulus up later, James tried to calm himself.

Lily then asked Sirius a bunch of questions about this family, and then Sirius asked her a few questions, then it was announced that they'd arrive in 20 minutes.

"That's it." Sirius said, getting up and sliding the door open, "I can't take this anymore. These dungbomb's have Bobby Fenwick's name on them and they have been burning a hole in my pocket. Come on, Prongs."

"I don't think so," James said, finding an opportunity to help Lily out, who obviously didn't want to be here, "just take Moony and Wormtail. And it's _Benjy _Fenwick"

"Fine."

He waited.

And soon, it was only Lily and James in the compartment.

James certainly didn't want Lily to leave, but he had to gain her trust somehow.

"Now's your chance."

Lily jumped; she obviously did not expect James to say what he did.

"What do you mean?"

He was already regretting it, but there was no turning back now.

"Oh, please," He tried to sound nonchalant, "you only agreed to come so you wouldn't bother Moony."

"Just go back to your friends now, and I'll tell him they had to come get you because they needed emergency tampons, or something." He tried to joke, to show Lily that he was not at all bothered.

"But… don't you… want…?"

A mixture of emotions crossed her face; surprise, confusion, and genuine gratitude.

"Uh, thank you, but… no need. We'll be there in ten minutes." She stammered.

He tried determinedly to simply look out the window and suppress his smile, but failed.

"We we're worried about you, Lily." Alice said anxiously on the carriage ride to the castle.

"Oh, yes," Marlene added, handing Lily a hand held mirror to hold up so that she could reapply her lipstick, "We didn't know where you went after you left, and Mary was in a right state, searching through most of the compartments."

Lily felt heart warmed, and said, "Thank you, but there was no need. After the train stopped, Remus invited me to share."

"Remus Lupin?" Mary said suspiciously, "James Potter's mate?"

"Mhmm."

"So that means that you also shared a compartment with Potter?"

"Mhmm."

"And was he as arrogant as you predicted?"

"Well…"

"Aha!" Mary cried, pointing an accusing finger at Lily, "He wasn't at all awful, was he?"

Lily decided to confess to them all about her weird meeting with James Potter.

They were all as thoroughly confused as Lily was.

"Well," Marlene said, pursing her cupid bow shaped lips, "maybe he was trying to… start fresh?"

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Y'know, sort of make up for all those years he spent being a prick?"

"I don't think so," Lily said wisely, "I think they're all setting me up for a big prank.

"I seriously doubt that, Lily." Alice added, "James would never want to embarrass you like that, and wouldn't you think Remus would have told you if they were?"

"Yes," Lily said dramatically, "I considered that, but then I thought what if he isn't in on the prank? What if it's just Pettigrew, Black and Potter?"

"That still seems highly unlikely."

"You think so?" Lily retorted.

"I know so. You're just being paranoid."

Lily gave a defiant 'hmph' and crossed her arms over her chest and began sulking.

"Come on," Marlene said distractedly, cutting the tension, "we should get moving if we want to make in it time for the sorting."

"Sev, I very clearly said _no." _Lily was saying firmly to get ex-best friend, Severus Snape, at the Great Hall during sorting, "You've always been speaking ill of my friends, and of my blood, and I've always dismissed it, but what happened last year, in front of _everybody, _was the last straw."

Severus looked as though he had been slapped, "But Lily, how many times can I say that _I'm sorry?"_

"You can say it a hundred times, but I still wouldn't forgive you." She said coldly.

"Look over there, Prongs," Sirius whispered to James at the Gryffindor table, eyeing Lily Evans and Severus Snape having a rather loud argument, "When will Snivelly give up?"

"Dunno," James shrugged, casting a grim look in Snape's direction, "but it's getting on my nerves. What if they make up? I couldn't bare it."

"Then do something about it." Sirius said bluntly, "If he tails her all the way to the Common room, which he probably will, you could just go up to him and-" he punched his right fist into his left palm, "Evans will probably be really grateful."

"Severus, I think that's just about enough!" Lily cried at Snape, for he had followed her all the way to the Gryffindor Common room, like some greasy lost puppy.

"I'm not giving up, Lily!" He said determinedly, "You can't through away five years of friendship over a tiny slip up!"

Lily stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face Snape.

"Tiny slip up?" She echoed, "_Tiny slip up? _You embarrassed me in front of the whole school when I was trying to help you! You called me a mudblood! So I'm sorry if I'm not in a hurry to forget the scathing words my supposed best friend said to me after 'five years of friendship'!"

There. _That _shut him up.

"B-but-" he began shakily, when the annoying voice of James Potter called, "Didn't you hear her, Snivellus?"

Oh _no._

Potter was taking long strides towards Snape, looking as though he wanted to punch him, when Lily stepped in between them, holding out her arms, creating a barrier.

"Potter?" She said suspiciously, "What are you doing?"

"Saving you from this git, obviously," he said, throwing Snape a murderous glare.

"This has nothing to do with you, Potter," Snape sneered.

"Snivellus," Potter said in a mock innocent voice, "how about you do us a favor and die?"

Snape's lip curled, and he opened his mouth to give back a retort, but not before Lily yelled, "Stop it, both of you! You're fighting like a couple of first years!"

"So now you're defending Potter?" Snape accused, "Lily, Potter's a stupid, conc-"

"I'm not defending anyone!" Lily cried, "If you two are going to act like children, then someone has to take charge-!"

"Wow." Potter said viciously, "Stupid? I think Evans was wrong, Snape. You're a _second _year."

Snape was practically shaking with anger, and within a moment, he whipped out his wand.

"Severus!" Lily said, horrified, "Don't!"

"Leave him," Potter said bitterly, "I'd like to see him try."

"Sectu-!"

"What's going on?" Professor McGonagall called, walking towards them with a scowl on her face.

When nobody answered, due to Potter and Snape being too busy glaring daggers at each other and Lily being out of breath, Professor McGonagall said, "Snape, 20 points from Slytherin."

"But-"

"No buts." She said sharply, "Go to the feast. And if I see you causing more trouble, you'll have detention for a month. Understood?"

"Yes." Snape grumbled, stalking off to the great hall.

"And you," She addressed Lily and Potter, "my office. Now."

"-honestly, I can believe the nerve of you two, getting into a fight on the first day. You'd think we were in a pub, whipping out wands and hexing people."

"We didn't have our wands out." Potter defended.

"But you would have, had I not shown up."

"Professor," Lily pleaded, "let me explain-"

"There will be no need." McGonagall snapped, "you're only lucky I didn't catch you with wands. You're dismissed."

Lily got up and slammed the door on her way out, with Potter at her tail.

"Hey," he panted, trying to catch up to her, "what's your problem? Why aren't you talking to me? Because, in case you hadn't noticed, I kind of saved you back there."

"Saved me?" She echoed bitterly, "How on earth did you _save_ me? Look at all the trouble you got us!"

"No harm done," Potter shrugged, "We didn't lose points or get detention, so I don't see what you're upset about."

"Because you had nothing to do with me and Severus!" Lily pointed out coldly, "I just can't understand why you'd butt in!"

"Because-"

"And you're actually asking me to be grateful!"

"I was helping you! You obviously didn't want to talk to him any longer, so someone had to do something!"

"_You _didn't _have to do_ anything!"

Lily was breathing heavily now. How could she have been so stupid? Was she actually convinced, even for a few seconds, back on the train, that James Potter had changed?

"You are so ungrateful." Potter said, shaking his head.

"Yes, I'm very ungrateful. Now, could you just do me a favor and _leave me alone?" _she said coldly.

"Fine by me." Potter said loudly, walking past Lily to face the portrait hole.

"Password?"

"I don't know the sodding password."

"No password, no entrance."

"Fine." He said childishly, instead turning to go to the great hall.

Lily Evans wanted nothing more to do with James Potter.


	3. That Time You Had To Roll With It

She had detention with Sirius Black.

It started this morning when Lily was heading to Transfiguration with Marlene, when they saw two sixth years that seemed ready to hex each other, wands pointed and everything.

One of them was Sirius Black, the other, Avery from Slytherin.

"Marlene, you go to class." Lily sighed irritably. "I'll deal with these two and catch up."

"I want to help, too." Marlene said indignantly. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because I'm a prefect. It's my job to handle this, not yours."

Marlene huffed. She hated the 'because I'm a prefect' excuse, which Lily had used a number of times on her, but shuffled away to Transfiguration none the less.

"Black." Lily called, walking towards them, laying her hands on her hips. "What are you two doing?"

They both acted like they hadn't heard her.

"It's not your concern whether or not Regulus joins the Death Eaters." Avery growled, and laid his eyes on Lily as though only noticing her now. "If he wants to kill Mudbloods like her-" he nodded to Lily "-his choice."

Sirius turned around to look at who Avery was talking about, and when he saw Lily, he opened his mouth to speak, but-

"Save it." She said coolly. "Just get to class."

"I'm not done, Red." Sirius said, coldly eying Avery.

"You are now." Lily said firmly. "Unless you'd like to lose Gryffindor a good deal of points and, possibly, resulting in losing the house cup."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

It seemed as though they were both having a staring competition, until Sirius finally gave up. "Fine." He sighed.

He spun round on his heel and retreated down the corridor, leaving Lily and Avery behind.

"That took a lot of guts." Avery noted slimily. "You know, for a filthy, incompetent mudblood."

Son of a bitch, not today you won't.

Her fist connected with Avery's angular jaw, sending him toppling backwards.

Lily looked around, and to her horror, found several students frozen in shock, staring at her.

She herself was confused as to what happened. Normally, as much as being called a mudblood stung her, she was used to keeping her anger.

She didn't really know why she lashed out like that. Maybe she was still upset over her encounter with Potter yesterday.

Oh, great. She told herself that she'd forget about that.

Although, in all fairness, he _was _trying to help. He genuinely thought he was helping Lily out.

But that doesn't make it ok, does it?

"Clear away, all of you." She said in a commanding voice, and they did as they were told, with a few murmurs here and there. "And you." She added to Avery. "Get out of my face."

Avery jumped up, fear and hatred in his eyes and stalked away.

"Evans?" The shocked voice of Sirius Black called from behind her.

"What?" She demanded, staring daggers into his widened grey eyes. "I thought I just told you to get to class?"

"Did you just sock Avery in the jaw? Not bad."

"Get to class, Black."

"That was actually pretty-"

"Remember how we talked about getting you an eye to go with your last name?"

"Got it."

"What do you have now, anyway?"

"McGonagall, same as you. Walk me there?"

"Don't you know the way yourself?" She snorted.

"Oh, I do, I just wanted to have you around incase some Slytherin tried to attack me."

"Rational fear, I'm sure."

But she walked with him, nonetheless.

"So what happened between you and James yesterday?" he asked conversationally.

"Potter didn't tell you?" Lily raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Oh no, he did." Sirius assured her, ducking down a tapestry. "I just wanted to hear your side of the story."

So she told him, which went on right until they reached the Transfiguration class room.

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's it." She said, feeling ticked off.

"Evans, sorry about this, but you are such a _girl."_

"I _am _a girl." She sighed. "But what's that supposed to imply?"

"You get your wand twisted over the littlest things, that's what it's supposed to imply."

"I'm sorry, Black. I don't remember asking for your opinion." Lily said sarcastically.

He raised his hands in surrender and said, "Hey, just saying. But you probably should apologize."

"I didn't do any-!"

"Just think about it." He interrupted. "After you, Red."

He held his arm out for her to go in first, to which she obliged.

"Black, you're late." McGonagall said impatiently. "And Miss Evans, make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes, Professor." Lily said obediently, sitting down next to Mary in the front row.

"What were you doing with Black?" She questioned the moment Lily's rear touched the seat.

Lily loved Mary, but she really was the biggest gossip in the school.

"Nothing." Lily shrugged. "I was walking along the corridors when I saw him, and he decided to walk with me."

"Miss McDonald, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall scolded. "Would you like me to fetch you both some tea for you to drink over your conversation? Or would you rather I continue the lesson?"

"Sorry, Professor." They both chorused.

"As I was saying, an Animagi is-"

"A witch or wizard that can transform into an animal at will." Sirius finished easily.

"I was under the impression that I was teaching this class, Mr. Black." She said breezily. "But yes, an Animagus is, indeed, a witch or wizard whom can transform into an animal at will. The animal in which they turn into is usually the same form which their patronus takes, although patronus's have been known to change."

"Are you taking notes?" Mary whispered to Lily.

"Yeah." Lily whispered back.

"Lend them to me later."

"I wish you'd take your own notes, Mare."

"Pish-posh."

"Can anyone tell me the difference between Transfiguring ones self into and animal and becoming an Animagi?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"When you turn into an Animagi," Sirius began, although he had not raised his hand, "you still think and act like a human, just in an animal's body, but when you transfigure yourself into an animal, you act like one, a real one, and you wouldn't even know you were a wizard."

"You seem to know a lot about this subject, Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall said, impressed nonetheless, and questioned him no further. "I suppose we're out of time. Remember, I'll be expecting a three page essay on what it takes to become an Animagus next Tuesday. Class dismissed."

Lily shuffled out of class with Mary, and as she walked out, she felt Sirius tap her on the shoulder.

"Here." He handed her her extra quill, "You forgot this."

"Oh." She said, "Thanks, I guess I must've-"

"Remember," He chimed, "talk to him."

"Fine." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good girl." Sirius joked, patting the top of her head.

"Since when were you so friendly with Sirius Black?" Mary teased.

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

James Potter was having a lousy day. He had hid fireworks in Filch's cupboard and hid nearby for about two hours, waiting for them to explode. He then found out they had expired, so those are two hours and fifty galleon's he's never getting back.

_Then _he got told off in Charms for being late.

He wasn't really in the mood for anyone, Lily Evans included.

This was very unfortunate, since she was jogging up to him, her school bag slung over her shoulder.

"I'm not in the mood, Evans."

"I just wanted to say sorry," she breathed, "about yesterday."

"Apology denied."

"What?"

"You heard me. Sorry doesn't cover it." He teased. He really wasn't that upset about it, to be honest.

"Yeah, well I have to get to class now." She excused herself.

"What class?" James asked.

"Divination."

"That class is a load of dragon dung. Since when did you even take that class?"  
"Since now." She huffed.

"You're doing it again, Evans."

"Doing what?"

"Turning everything into a competition."

"I'm not doing that."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

…

"Okay, maybe a little." She rolled her emerald eyes. "I'm off to class."

"I've got Divination as well, I'll go with you."

What was it with the Marauders wanting to tag along everywhere with her? Next thing she knows, Peter Pettigrew will be waltzing with her into Potions, and then she and Remus will be sashaying into Arthimancy.

"I thought you said Divination was a load of dragon dung?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Don't worry, it is. But it was either Divination or Arthimancy. And besides, I sit in the back row, so Professor Redway doesn't pay me much attention. Which leaves me free to throw spit wads to my heart's content."

"Spit wads?" She mused, a small smile on her pink lips. "A bit old fashioned for James Potter, don't you think?"

"What can I say, I'm a classy guy." He shrugged.

"Whatever." She dismissed and stalked off to the North Tower, which James took as a sign that she didn't want him to tag along.

How could he resist?

He caught up with her, eyeing her unbuttoned blouse, the tie that hung loosely around her neck and that stupid skirt that she always hitched up even though it was against the dress code.

"I'd expect our esteemed prefect to look more presentable." He teased.

"You aren't a sight for sour eyes, either." She countered. "Go on."

She was indicating at the ladder which led to their class room.

"What?"

"You go first."

"Why?"

"Right." She scoffed. "As if I'd let you look up my skirt."

"Aw," he said sarcastically. "There goes _that _opportunity."

He climbed up the ladder and was followed by Lily shortly.

"Ah, Miss Evans, Mr. Potter." Said the dreamy voice of Professor Redway. "Take a seat so we can begin class."

Professor Redway had long, silky straight black hair, olive skin, and she was considered the most beautiful teacher in school. Half the blokes in her class only took Divination because she was teaching it.

James attempted to sit in his usual seat in the back row, but Lily grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and sat him down next to her, right in the front.

"What are you _doing,_ Evans?" He ran a hand through his hair nervously, trying to maintain eye contact with her.

Merlin, would it kill her to button up her shirt a little?

"No way are you throwing spit wads on my watch." She said nonchalantly. "Besides, you'd look pathetic sitting by yourself."

"I wasn't going to sit with myself." He countered.

"It's not like you have any mates in this class."

"Are you calling yourself my mate?"

"No."

Progress! Sort of!

"Today," Professor Redway said, snapping James out of it. "We will be doing palm readings. I will demonstrate on a student."

"Oh, _no."_ Lily whined, looking down. "Don't look her in the eye."

"How about…" she scanned the room. "Miss Evans?"

She swore under her breath and surrendered her hand to Professor Redway, whom studied it for what seem like forever.

The whole class was leaning in expectantly, until Professor Redway suddenly uttered a shriek.

"My darling!" She wailed dramatically. "My poor darling! Your life line!"

"What's wrong with my 'life line'?" Lily said defensively, snatching her hand back.

"It's short!"

"So?"

"So?" Professor Redway demanded. "_So?_ It means that in a few years time, you're going to be… _murdered!"_

"That is a load of dragon-" James had clamped his hand over Lily's mouth and put on a false smile.

"Great, that's really great, Prof. Can you do me?" He awed.

So she did, and within two minutes she was wailing that they had the same fate, predicting that they both had around 'five to four years to live'.

As soon as class ended, Lily got up and stomped away from James.

"What's wrong?" He asked, jogging up to her and following her down the ladder.

"Why did you go along with her?" She said angrily.

"You just have to let her roll with it." James shrugged. He grabbed her arm and gently aside to make some room for the third years that had Divination and had to get to class. "All of the old Divination teachers were frauds, even Redway. If you ask me, they should just eliminate the subject and be done with it."

"But she predicted our _deaths!" _Lily half yelled. "Didn't that even _bother _you that she's going around telling people that they're going to be murdered?"

"She does that every week." James dismisses. "All of the old teachers did. They thought it seemed impressive."

"If you ask me, I'll be dropping out of the subject and taking Muggle Studies instead."

"Why would you take Muggle Studies?" James said skeptically.

"At this point, anything is better than Divination."

"Excuse me." Professor Redway called sadly from her trap door which led to her class room, still thinking they're going to die, probably, "could you and your boyfriend lower your voices? I'm trying to teach some third years."

Lily looked down at her arm, which was still in James's grasp. He dropped it. Blushing, she said, "He is _not _my boyfriend."

"You just have to let her roll with it, Evans."

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

"Lily?" She looked up from her plate of chicken fingers and custard to look into the huge blue eyes of none other than fifth year Ravenclaw prefect, Diane Tullet. Diane stands with her hands on her thin hips, her silky yet short blonde hair falling just above her shoulders. "Professor McGonagall says she wants to see you after lunch."

"What for?" Lily cautioned.

Diane merely shook her head and said, "Sorry, no idea." And walked off.

"What do you think it's about?" Alice croaked to Mary and Marlene; they both shrugged their shoulders.

"I'll be right back." Lily tried to sound cheerful, with a sinking feeling that she knew what was coming for her. "Don't worry about me, yeah?"

"Miss Evans, take a seat."

Lily skirted uncertainly to her Transfiguration teacher's desk and nervously took a seat, laying her book bag beside her.

"Interesting thing, Miss Evans." McGonagall said slowly, straightening her stack of parchment. "Today, Mr. Avery approached me and said that you _assaulted him. _I said to him, not Lily Evans, no sir. After all, you had been warned only a day ago. So you can only _imagine _my embarrassment when he proved me wrong."

"I didn't…" Lily mumbled, averting McGonagall's stony gaze.

"I don't even want to know what provoked you." She shook her head. "But he also mentioned that, had you not shown up, Sirius Black would have done him in."

Silence.

"_Is that true?"_

"Yes, professor." Lily affirmed. "But in Black's defense, they _were _in a duel. It's not like he jumped Avery."

She didn't really know why she was defending Black, even if it was true.

"But Avery isn't in my house, is he?"

"No, professor."

"Detention, you and Black both. Saturday, eight o'clock sharp. You'll be helping Mister Filch sort the trophy cabinet."

"_Saturday?" _Lily moaned. "Professor, please! Me and my friends, we were planning on going out on Saturday, and-"

"I'll hear none of it, Miss Evans. I did warn you only a day ago, didn't I? I've already notified Mr. Black. Now get to your class."

Lily grumbled and reluctantly picked up her bag and retreated to the door.

* * *

"Black," Lily hissed, whacking Sirius (who was seated next to Remus and opposite to James and Peter, talking merrily.) on his shoulder. "I want a word."

"What's up, Red?" He said breezily, not even looking at her.

"Evans," James interrupted. "We're sort of busy?"

"I only need to borrow your boyfriend for ten seconds, Potter." She insisted.

Sirius got up to face Lily full on, towering over her by a few inches, maybe four. Lily got a good look at him; his long Black hair was flawless as usual as, probably silkier than Lily's own hair, but his eyes, his eyes seemed a little bit tired. Not sleepy tired, just tried. She didn't know how to explain it.

"I'll let you know," She said matter-of-factly, "that thanks to _you, _I've got detention Saturday night."

"How is it _my _fault?" He gave a short, bark-like laugh. "I didn't _tell _you to sock him."

"I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't tried to do him in."

"So, ultimately, it's all my fault you punched a Slytherin."

"Ultimately."

"Alright then. I'm sorry, Red."

"Apology denied. And don't call me Red." She added.

"Sure thing, Red."

"Jerk." She shook her head, spinning round on her heel and steering herself towards her friends when she added as an afterthought over her shoulder, "See you tonight."

* * *

"Sure thing, Red."

"Jerk. See you tonight."

James's ears immediately perked up upon hearing this.

"What?" He yelped, "What did she say to you?"

"Oh, that?" Sirius made a face. "We're meeting tonight by the statue of the witch with the humpback for shag. I didn't want to, but she insisted."

"I can't believe you have your own place and I don't." Remus rolled his eyes. "He has detention with Lily." He added to James.

"How to you know?"

"I'm a prefect, of course I know."

"So you weren't kidding when you said you moved out?" Peter awed. "I don't think any of us would've had the bollocks to do that."

Of course not, Remus thought. James wouldn't need to. He had old, yet healthy, kind parents that loved him to no end. He wouldn't need to move out. Peter, if he wanted to, could move out. Had he found the money, it would be a piece of cake. He has only a mother, but a very capable, somewhat young (younger than Remus's mum, that's for sure.) mother who was proud of her, albeit, not very talented, son, but proud, nonetheless. Remus, on the other hand, came from a broken home. His mother was an old witch, who was left by her wizard husband a few years after Remus was bit by a werewolf as a young child. She loved her husband dearly, and he loved her, but he couldn't stand to stay with her, because it was his own fault that her only son became a freak. They tried for years and years to find a cure, but failed. Remus also felt so guilty towards his mother for this. And he also felt envious towards his friends. For Peter's freedom, for James's family, and for Sirius's lack of guilt towards his own family.

"Oh," James said, snapping Remus out of it. His shoulders relaxed. "What for?"

"She socked Avery in the jaw." Remus said meekly, raising his fork towards his mouth, when-

"Moony!" Sirius hissed, shoving Remus in the shoulder, causing his fork to fall with a clatter on his plate. "Karen Day is _checking you out."_

Remus did not find this information as exciting as his friend did. He merely looked over to where the pretty brunette witch (Who was, indeed, staring) sat on the Gryffindor table and shrugged his shoulders.

"So?" Sirius said expectantly.

"So?" Remus repeated. "Nothing. What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know! But it's Karen Bloody Day! She's one of the fittest birds in out year!"

"Looks aren't everything, Padfoot."

"Just give her a chance." Sirius said firmly. "Go out with her on one date, and that's it."

"Why do you care so much?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"She _is _pretty good-looking." James agreed.

"_Please, _Prongs." Peter scoffed. "We all know you have eyes for only one."

"What are you talking about?" James asked.

"Lily." Remus shook his head. "Obviously."

"I'm…" He scratched the back of his neck gingerly. "Over her."

"Liar."

"Whose side are you on, Moony?"

"Pass me a chocolate frog and shut up."

* * *

**Whew! Finally finished this chapter! It's not as long as I wanted it to be, unfortunately. I was aiming at ten pages, like the previous chapter, but alas, I've only come up with eight. And yes, I'm aware of the fact that we've encountered more Sirius/Lily than we have James/Lily, but calm your shipper hearts for one moment, we're still on chapter three. If all goes according to plan, you'll see some (minor) Jily next chapter. Minor. Very, very minor. Torturing fangirls is my favorite activity. Makes me feel like Steven Moffat.**

**Also, I've only now realized most of this just ends with people going "shut up", lol. Yolo.**

**Did I just say yolo?**

**Pretty sure I'll be losing some followers tonight. Oh, well. Yolo.**

**So please, take the time to review, I'd love to hear your criticism on how you think I could improve my writing, and what you think of the story. Follows and favorites are much appreciated as well!**

**Yolo,**

**Rose**


	4. That Time Lily's Hair Caught Fire

**Name: **Of Lily And James

**Rating: **PG-13

**Author: **Timelady-from-Gallifrey, a.k.a Rose, founder of the We-Hate-The-Constant-Stereotype-That-Lily-Evans-We ars-Green-And-Only-Green-To-Formal-Events-Or-Any-O ther-Event-I-Mean-Honestly-She's-Ginger-Not-Handic apped society. Or WHTCSTLEWGAOGTFEOAOEIMHSGNH. Our acronym isn't very popular. Neither are we, actually.

**Disclaimer: **Characters in this story (other than any obvious character that I make up myself) belong to J.K Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Warner Bros. Mostly J.K Rowling, though. My deepest apologies to none other that Miss Rowling, for I have an awful tendency to hijack some of her wonderful characters and throw them into a TARDIS and desert them in the wrong time period for my own selfish needs. Also, Doctor Who will be mentioned at various points in this story, so DW belongs to the BBC. Also, I'm trying to incorporate as much Amy Pond as I can into Lily, I don't really know why, I suppose I just really like the idea. Amelia Pond belongs to DW, DW to BBC, BBC to the Queen, and so on.

**Recap: **James tried to woo Lily with the maturity act, fails and gives up. They (surprise!) fight, and the next day they're on somewhat decent terms. Sirius (somehow) lands himself and Lily detention.

"Guys always think tears are a sign of weakness. They're a sign of FRUSTRATION. She's only crying so she won't cut your throat in your sleep. So make nice and be grateful."  
― Donna Barr

"-It's like you're a bloody muggle_-_!_"_

"Sorry! I'm-"

"You could've used your _wand _to conjure some bleeding water!"

"-so sorry! I didn't mean-"

"_Why _you felt it necessary to pour a _potion _on my head is beside me!"

"Sorry! I'm so, so sorry, Evans!"

"In all honesty, Lily, you _do _look better with your hair shorter."

"Yeah, I'm with Moony on this one. I thought you needed a little trim, but I didn't wanna say anything-"

"Shut _up, _Sirius."

It was –surprise, surprise- a lousy day for _both _Lily and James, so far. It started rather alright, right up and till they were paired together for Potions class.

"But _professor!_" Lily had complained to her rather large, round teacher, Professor Slughorn, who, usually, never refused anything when it came to Lily.

"You can't pair us together, please!"

"I'm sorry, Lily," Slughorn said, looking like he meant it. "But I can't have him with Mr. Black, or else they'll blow up the class. It's a very delicate potion, you see."

Lily grumbled and reluctantly turned to her partner, who was smirking innocently at her.

"Wipe that smile off your face." She ordered (although, it was a very nice smile, indeed, even she had to admit it.) "And step aside."

This immediately did the job with disposing of his not-really-but-actually-very-nice-smile.

"What?" He said hoarsely.

"You heard me. I'll do the potion, and you sit aside."

"But I want to help!" He said indignantly.

Goddamned James Potter always had to have his say in something. Thinking people will always mess up unless his majesty is involved. Sod him.

"I can handle it." She said pointedly, rolling green eyes, and tucking a thick strand of her dark red hair behind her ear.

"I know you can," he had said hurriedly. "But I want to help."

Again, she rolled her eyes, which she seemed to do a lot in the presence of Potter.

"Fine. Set the fire on high."

"That's all?" Potter said irritably, "That's all I have to do?"

"Just do it, Potter." Lily snapped, throwing her arms up exasperatedly.

"Fine, fine." He muttered, following her instructions.

Lily studied the board, which read '_Draught Of Living Death_' in Slughorn's wobbly handwriting, and on the side, were the ingredients.

Lily couldn't quite see the ingredients listed, though, for they were in rather small writing, so she dug her Potions book out of her bag and flipped it open to page 378.

She then followed the instructions, '_Stir clockwise fourteen times, then anti-clockwise seven times, and let it simmer for ten minutes.' _She did just as was said, stirring it fourteen times (Oh, how her arm wanted to just fall off. She felt too proud to ask Potter to stir it for her, so she sad to keep going) and proceeded to finish off the last seven needed stirs.

After she was finished, she snuck a glance at Potter, who was, typically, making paper birds and setting free to soar through the classroom. Slughorn didn't seem to notice, or perhaps he did, and opted to ignore them.

With further inspection, it was revealed that he had apparently made a whole miniature animated farm with paper. Paper animals were chasing paper animals, paper farmers milking paper goats and cows, and so on.

Who the bloody hell knew how to make origami, anyway?

Show off.

Lily spun her head to look at her mates; Marlene had been paired with Reg Cattermole, whom Mary fancied, and sure enough, the tiny brunette in question was throwing rueful glances across the room to the not very handsome Hufflepuff.

It always struck Lily this one little fact about Mary. Mary was just about the most attractive girl in school, even with her large brown eyes and her beautiful brown hair, her cute elfish face was not a forgettable one. Granted, she wasn't very tall, but everything else made up for it.

In short (no pun intended), Mary could have any bloke in the school, and yet she fancies Reg Cattermole, of all people. Beak-nosed Reg. Scrawny Reg. Awkward Reg. Plan old Reg.

Lily supposed it was pretty romantic, and found herself sighing wistfully for a relationship half as romantic as Mary and Reg's sort-of relationship.

Suddenly, the smell of her brewing potion snapped her back into reality.

No, wait. That wasn't the smell of her potion.

She sniffed the air suspiciously.

Smoke?

Lily glanced down and, to her horror, found the mother-of-all-flames that Potter himself had lit, licking her hair.

She let out a strangled yelp, catching Potter's attention. His head snapped up immediately and cried, "What did you _do?"_

"Make it stop!" She screeched, flapping her arms at her sides. "Make it stop, you idiot!"

People were soon staring, gaping, even Slughorn himself, and yet none of them had the common sense to use their wands.

"YOUR WAND!" Lily cried to Potter, desperately trying to pat the fire off her hair, too panicked to use her own wand. "USE YOUR WAND, YOU BLEEDING IDIOT."

Potter finally caught her drift, and whipped out his wand, but unfortunately, the paper monkey (Monkeys! Who can make origami monkeys?) had climbed to his shoulder, giving him a start, and as he dropped his wand, it rolled under the table.

"_MAKE IT STOP!" _

In a hurried panic, Potter seized the cauldron containing their potion and poured the concoction over Lily's head.

She stood their, frozen, with her mouth wide open and her wet hair all over her face like a curtain.

"Evans," James said in a terrified, hushed voice, "I didn't mean-"

"Shut up." She said in a quiet voice. "And take me to the Hospital wing."

* * *

"And now," Lily concluded. "I'm stuck in here for several more hours."

"It's not like you have somewhere to be." James snorted, plopping himself down on the chair next to Lily's bedside.

She glared daggers at him and said, "Actually, I do."

"You do?" He mused, not even paying her attention, instead deciding to pick the lint off his trousers.

"Yes. A date." This seemed to have caught his attention, as his head snapped up and he sat bolt upright.

"You do?" He repeated forcefully. "With who?"

"Robert Wood." The redhead said as-a-matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And when, exactly, will this date be taking place?"

"Two hours."

"Very well."

His calm response bothered Lily greatly. "That's it? I'm going on a date with your Beater and you're not even going to comment on that?"

Potter shrugged. "None of my business."

Lily was still bothered, but chose to forget the subject and said, "Where did my mates go?"

Not five minutes ago had Marlene, Mary, and Alice been huddled next to Lily's bed, relaxing her with calming news such as, 'You made a right fool of yourself back there, Lil.' Or 'Everyone's heard of it by now. If you thought people calling you Fire Head for your hair colour was bad before, it's going to get _really _bad now.'

"They got hauled off to class." Sirius answered, setting the spider he had crafted out of paper to roam around the floor. "You were in the bathroom."

"That's creepy." Lily squirmed, eyeing the spider resentfully. "Step on it, or something."

"It's not real, Evans. That won't work."

"Light it on fire, then."

"It's not you, Evans."

"Oh, har har har."

"It's funny, don't deny it."

"How come you guys didn't get sent to class?" The witch grumbled bitterly staring at the four Marauders in front of her. She was wondering what exactly they were doing here, anyway. It's not they're mates. She and Remus were, that's excused, but the other three? She supposed she and Sirius were on somewhat good terms, and she didn't exactly dislike Peter, nor did she like him. But Potter? Not really. Maybe he just felt like lighting her hair on fire wasn't enough. Like he needed to inflict more pain on her with his mere presence.

"Free period."

"Actually, Padfoot. It's just me who has a free period."

"Thanks for the intel, Prongs. Alright, I can take a hint. Let's go."

"I'll gather your homework for you, Lily." Remus promised her as he passed by.

"Thanks." She said gratefully.

In less then one minute, she and Potter were all on their own.

"Um," He said, fidgeting in his seat. "Can I, uh, get you anything?"

"Why are you trying to be nice?" Lily questioned shamelessly.

"I suppose it is somewhat my fault," he smirked, running his hand through his hair, filling Lily with the urge to slap his hand away. "That your hair caught on fire, I mean."

"Somewhat?"

"Only a little, though."

"Ah, yes, I see. I shouldn't have been so stupid as to entrust you with staring a fire; far too advanced for your mind."

"You said to set it on high!" He said indignantly.

"High," She repeated, narrowing her eyes, "Not supernova."

Silence filled the room.

Then, "My book."

"What?" Potter said with a start.

"I was reading a book, and I left it on my bed this morning."

"So?"

"Go get it for me."

"It's in the girl's dorm, Red."

"So?"

"What makes you think I can get in there?"

"Please." She scoffed. "I may not know all your tricks, but I'm not stupid."

His smirk returned to his face, "You know me so well, Red."

"Unfortunately."

"Naturally."

"Unluckily."

"Positively."

"Why do you have to have the last word in everything?" Lily said irritably. "It drives me mad."

"Mad? Exactly how mad to I drive you, Red?"

"Jerk."

"Whore."

"Bastard."

"Brat."

"Ugh!" She clutched her head. "Stop doing that!"

Again, he smirked, "Alright, I'll get you your book."

* * *

Moments later, he went and returned with her romance novel, _Not His Type of Spell._

"I read this on the way. It's rubbish." He said, flipping through the pages.

"Are you joking?" She demanded, snatching the book with her pale hands. "It's heart breaking!"

"If by heart breaking, you mean absolutely terrible, then yes. Heart shattering, even."

"It's cute!" Lily insisted. "Like, the heroine, John Everhart, he calls his girlfriend –get this- _His forEverhart!"_

"Big whoop. Twelve year old girls can think of better nicknames."

"James Potter, if that isn't the cutest thing you've ever heard, then you don't read many romance novels!"

"I don't read _any _romance novels." He corrected.

She clutched the book to her chest and gave a long sigh, "I just wish one day, my significant other will give _me _a cute nickname."

"I call you a cute nickname." Potter teased.

"Red is neither cute nor romantic."

"Picking your own nickname for your significant other to call you isn't cute orromantic."

"You aren't my significant other."

"Touché." James allowed. "Alright, tell me more about this stupid book."

Immediately, Lily's eyes lit up, "Well, by the end of the book, John wants to ask out Marie –his forEverhart- but he doesn't know how, and then he remembers once, she told him that her dream is for a bloke to woo her by chucking rocks at her window at midnight and asking her out. And in the end-!"

"He chucks rocks at her window at midnight and asks her out." He finished dryly.

"Did you-?" She seemed genuinely confused, "Did you read the entire book on the way?"

James merely shook his head and got up from his seat, "I have to get going. Pomfrey wants to speak to me. Then I have some homework."

"Oh, okay." Lily frowns, "I'll be getting out any minute now, actually. For my date."

"You do that, Red." He collected his bag and strode to the back of the room.

Lily adjusted herself to a comfortable position, preparing herself for a nice, sound sleep.

So of course, James Potter had to stroll right back to her.

"Pomfrey's told me to ask you," he began distractedly. "How have you been feeling?"

"Fine." Lily shrugged.

Potter strutted his red, worn out trainers to the back of the Hospital Wing, had a hurried conversation, came back and said, "She says you'll have to stay for another five hours."

"What?" Lily yelped. "But I'll miss my date! And besides, I'm perfectly fine!"

No. This was not happening. This _couldn't _be happening. She's spent years pinning over Robert Wood, and now, Six years later, they finally have a date and she's going to miss it because bloody James Potter set her hair on fire? No thank you.

"Sorry, Red." He held up this palms. "It's out of my hands. Something about your lungs. But hey," He perked up. "You'll be let out just in time for detention with me and Sirius."

Lily let out a groan. "Both of you? One of you was bad enough!"

"You flatter me."

"Do I even want to know what you did?"

"Not really, no."

"Leave me to die." She whined, covering her face with her pillow.

"What's wrong now, Evans?" James sighed.

"I can't miss my date. I just can't." Her voice came out a bit muffled from underneath her pillow.

"Unless you want to invite him to help us polish trophies, an idea of which I am not opposed to, there's nothing I can do. Can't you just reschedule?"

"Reschedule? Ha!" She cried miserably. "You know Robert. He's so _emotional._ He'll think I don't fancy him. It'll ruin everything that I have spent six years working on!"

"That's too bad, Red."

Lily grumbled, but tried to look on the bright side. "Well, we can't have _that _many trophies, can we?"

* * *

_**Five Hours Later**_

"Oh. My. Merlin."

Lily Evans was fairly tall (a whole five feet and ten whooping inches) but even she felt puny with the massive trophy case towering over her.

It seemed ridiculous, but there was a trophy for _everything. _Best Seeker, Best Keeper, Best Chaser, Best Beater, Most Creative Artist (One trophy _for each house _for the stupid art categories_.) _Most Original Artist, Most Creative Artist, Most Talented Charmer (As in, for Charms Club), Most Charming Witch (That was actually, truly, a thing! It wasn't even associated with Charms Club! The students themselves made this up and due to high demand, the trophy they made was to be put on display!) This went to –hmph- Diane Bleeding Tullet.

Mary twice as cute, Lily thought bitterly.

Lily never really knew why she had this rather childish hate towards Diane. Diane herself never really did anything particularly mean to Lily, as far as she knew. I _could've _been that one time Lily's boyfriend dumped her for Diane, in third year.

And fourth.

And fifth.

Twice, in fifth, even.

It seemed like something a twittering fifth year would have felt. Lily _tried _to like Diane, she really did. She rather felt like a hypocrite, all those times she told Potter to mature up, and here she was; hating on an innocent girl simply for her allure to the opposite sex.

Even Lily had to admit, if she were a bloke, she'd be on Diane so fast she'd-

Wait.

Wasn't she supposed to be with two certain Marauders?

She spun around for a quick scan around the room, and Potter and Black were still nowhere to be seen.

Bloody hell, was she really going to polish these all by herself?

She'd sooner jump off the Astronomy Tower.

What were those bloody wankers _doing?_

_Suck it up_, she told herself, _hitch your skirt up, pick up a cloth and start cleaning._

She eyed the pile of cleaning materials that had been left earlier by the esteemed Caretaker, snatched the one on top (They really did smell awful.), flung the cabinet open and began polishing.

In the dim lit corridor, Lily could barely see to whom the trophies belonged, but when she observed close enough, she saw that most of the Quidditch related ones (Like, a good 81% of them. _Merlin) _belonged to James.

Is there anything he _can't _do?

In, give or take, two hours after Lily finished cleaning the godforsaken trophies (by herself, no less. Agrippa, were her arms sore.), she was approached by a grunting Filch.

"Where are the other two?" He asked aggressively.

She didn't really know whether to rat them out or not, so she decided to simply say maybe they went bathroom, and then choose later on if she should tell or not.

"I think they went to the loo." She said idly.

"You _think_?" He growled.

"I think."

He seemed to be at war with himself –Lily really did pity the man sometimes- and reluctantly dismissed her, saying that he'll deal with her tomorrow.

* * *

She was going to do it.

She was going to rat on those little maggots.

Today, on their way to lunch, they passed Lily several times, and not once did they even throw a little, _Hey, Lily! Thanks for not selling us out yesterday! _Or an, _I really appreciate all the work you did; may I carry your bag? Also, I like your perfume._

She'd spent twenty bloody galleons on the damn thing.

Top rate, all-the-way-from-France, her arse.

She was going to _punch _someone if she didn't get a compliment soon-

WHAM.

Just like that, the creepy Mulciber sixth year from Slytherin slammed into a poor little Ravenclaw, no older than 11 or 12.

"S-s-sorry." She whimpered, looking at the ground.

"Sorry?" Mulciber growled, his fingers curling around his wand, the other rubbing his head. "Are you fucking _blind?"_

"I-I didn't mean-"

"Did you perhaps no see me? Was that the issue?"

"I-"

"You know," He said slimily, casually aiming his wand at the child, "If you want to make it up, I _am _a bit out of practice."

"W-what?"

"It's not like your worthless mudblood life is really significant in any-"

I was just about to speak up, when out of all people, James Potter had come to the rescue, looking extremely ticked off.

"Did you run out of first years to molest, Mulciber?"

"What do you want, Potter?" The haughty wizard glared. "This isn't your fight."

"Just get out of here, Willy," James narrowed his eyes, using the nickname that he very well knew William Mulciber despised. "I'm really not in the mood for this."

"Scared, Potter?" He licked his lips hungrily.

"Please," James snorted. "I'm more scared of the second year you were harassing."

"You don't know anything-"

"Oh, I know. Were you going to "sacrifice" her "unworthy blood" to the "dark overlord"?"

"I-"

"Did you run out of virgins to sacrifice? Because I'm pretty sure you could've sacrificed yourself."

All around, people were laughing, and Mulciber had gone rather red in the face.

"You'll-" He stuttered, outraged, "You'll pay for this, Potter."  
The Slytherin retreated into the crowed, while James crouched down next to the little girl.

"You okay?" He said quietly, picking up her scattered books and handing them to her, all while she stared with her wide eyes.

"Yeah." She nodded her head furiously, trying to hide her flustered face.

James got up and offered her a hand, which she gladly took.

"Thanks." She blushed. She hurriedly threw her books in her bag and scuttled off, and at the exact moment, Sirius Black and the rest of his boyband members, a.k.a Peter and Remus, decided to join Potter, all patting him on the back and talking about some Quidditch Match (yawn.)

They turned around to vacate the premises, but nearly slammed into Professor McGonagall.

"Ah, yes." She said pointedly. "Just the two I wanted to see. Lupin, Pettigrew, get to class."

Without a moment's hesitation, both of the Marauders bolted to their upcoming classes (which weren't to start for another twenty minutes.)

"Miss Evans." The transfiguration teacher addressed Lily. Both Potter and Black spun their heads to look at her, as though realizing only now that she was here. "A word."

The redhead walked closer uncertainly, and hesitantly said, "Yes, professor?"

"Did you, or did you not, have detention to serve with Mr. Potter and Mr. Black yesterday night?"

Fuck.

_Fuck._

She had forgotten all about that, after the whole Potter-Mulciber fiasco.

Lily glanced at the two remaining Marauders, who were sharing panicking looks.

"Um, yes."

"And were they present?"

"Um," She drew her breath, "Yes."

"The entire time?"

All eyes were now focused on her, and it seemed as the whole room was holding in it's breathe.

"Yes."

"_What?" _McGonagall, Potter, and Black all said simultaneously.

"Are you sure, Miss Evans?" McGonagall pressed on, furrowing her brow.

"I'm…" Lily trailed off. She managed to sneak a peak at the two boys; their jaws all but hit the floor. She was beginning to regret lying for them already. "I'm sure, Professor."

"Very… well. Off to class."

* * *

Lily ducked behind a tapestry of Rowena Ravenclaw and strode towards her upcoming Charms class. Sirius and Potter were hot on her trail.

"Um, Red?" James said, jogging up next to her. "Not that I want to sound ungrateful, but why'd you cover for us?"

"Yeah." Sirius made a face. "I've been telling him all day that Evans was bound to sell us out, what with her being the stuck up prude she is. No offense. Why didn't you? Sell us out, I mean."

"Jesus, Sirius." Lily breathed. "Do you act this why for comedic purposes, or are you genuinely that thick?"

"She's avoiding the question." He said to Potter.

"I'm not avoiding anything." Lily said, keeping her eyes focused in front of her.

"Whatever. You get it out of her, Prongs." Sirius dismissed. "I'm getting to class."

He picked up his pace and gave Potter a thumbs up and a smirk over his shoulder.

Potter looked rather red in the face after that, but Lily said nothing.

"So." He said casually. "Why _did_ you cover for us?

Lily stopped in her tracks, as did Potter. She looked over his shoulder to peer at her mates, who looked rightfully confused to see her walking with James Potter. She beckoned them to go on without her.

"Let's just say," She began, "It was a thank you for not being a complete git back there with the second year."

"What are you-? Oh, _no." _He groaned in agony as realization dawned on him. "Don't tell me you saw that."

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Are you actually embarrassed that I saw you do a good deed?"

"Yes."

"It brings out the best in you, you know. It was pretty mature how you handled it."

"See, that's why I'm embarrassed; maturity."

"You like to be viewed as a child?" Lily thought she heard him mumble 'always am' to himself.

"I just don't want to be viewed as a wuss." He said evenly.

"How long has this 'good deed doer' thing been going on?" She teased.

"Pretty much when you're not around." Potter smirked.

"So you're saying I bring out the worst in you?"

"Precisely."

"Were not doing it, you know."

"Doing what? Shagging?"

"_No."_

"What, then?"

"It."

"It _sounds _like shagging."

Lily whacked him on the arm, "No." She corrected. "That thing that we've been doing lately. That thing where we spit out a bunch of fancy words at each other and try to see who gets the last word."

"That'd be _awfully_ boring, don't you think?" He said carefully.

_No_, she told herself, _you are better than this. Show some will power. Don't give in to him._

_Don't-_

"Terribly."

"Atrociously."

"Preposterously."

"Undeniably. "

"Unbelievably."

"Unbearably."

"Unimaginably."

"Unacceptably."

"Unfathomably."

Potter froze after that, desperately trying to think of a new comeback.

"Ha!" Lily shot smugly. "I win!"

"Fair enough." He grumbled.

"And now," She said grandly, holding out her bag towards him. "You'll carry my bag to class."

"In your dreams, Red." He scoffed, pushing her arm away.

"May I remind you that, not only did you set my hair on fire, but I also just bested you in your own game?"

"No need to rub it in." He laughed, giving her a long look, a twinkle in his stupid hazel eyes, finally accepting her bag and slinging it over his right shoulder.

"You know, Potter." Lily said seriously. "I always thought you were heartless."

"Really?" He mused, walking with ease down the corridor.

"Extremely." Lily had regretted the word the moment she blurted it out.

"Un-"

"Don't start that again!" She punched him on the shoulder. "I'm still catching my breath."

"Okay, okay." He rubbed his assaulted area, "But, just to be clear, you aren't still made with me?"

To be honest, Lily never was that angry with him to begin with. Upset, yes. But not angry.

"Oh no, I'm still a steaming cauldron of anger." Lily decided to milk this as far as she could.

"Is that so?" He mused.

"I'm afraid it is." She nodded her head, trying to hold back a smirk. "And the only way I can be calmed down was if you did my Transfiguration homework for me."

James snorted in a very unattractive way, "It's not you couldn't do it yourself."

It was no Lily's turn to snort. "I _wish."_

"What?" The Quidditch captain looked momentarily stunned. "I though you were brilliant at Transfiguration?"

"Why would you say that?" She pursed her lips. Brilliant? Yeah, _right. _She was also the Minister of Magic. It's not like the bloke wasn't in every class she was. It's not like he wasn't there in fifth year when she was supposed to turn that fluffy cat into a snake, instead turning it into a cat with the fangs and nose slits of a snake, and where it's paws should have been were snake tails. With _rattles._

Marlene says she still gets nightmares about it. Alice thought it was kind of cute, and wanted to keep it, whereas Mary proclaimed she would not hesitate to squish the thing to a pulp with her shoes if it ever entered her dorm, thus ensuing an argument over exactly whose dorm it was, resulting in them not talking to each other for three days.

"You're Lily Evans." He mumbled. "You're brilliant at all your classes."

She could just feel the redness creeping into her cheeks, and muttered back, "I'm really not."

"So you want my help with your homework?" He pressed.

Lily felt so embarrassed of herself. They weren't even mates, and here she was, taking advantage of him.

"Well, er-"

"Because that wouldn't work."

"I wasn't asking-!" She began indignantly. Can't the bloody git tell the difference between a joke and-?

"You'd need full on tutoring."

_What?_

"What?" She sputtered. "Are you serious?"

"No, actually." He smirked mischievously. "I'm Ja-"

"I swear to _Merlin," _Lily narrowed her eyes. "If you make that joke, James Potter, I will snap your neck and spit on your corpse."

He than laughed his stupid laugh, and ran his stupid hand through his stupid hair.

"So," He resolved, "We on for tutoring?"

Lily decided to answer him with the satanic, cat-snake story, but he merely chuckled, shook his head, and said, "That's not an answer."

"Are you actually being serious about this?" Lily demanded. "Because I promise you this, it will not be easy. I am a lost case at Transfiguration. You'll probably have to work with me at it till dawn everyday just so I can get the basics. Are you sure you want to risk that?"

"I'm sure," He answered. "And by the looks of it, it seems like you need all the help you can get. So. Assuming that you've agreed, how about every Wednesday? Eight?"

Lily wanted to comment about how sudden and eager he was being, but instead opted for "Why Wednesday?"

"It's the only day I don't have Quidditch practice." He explained, shifting his weight on his other foot.

Lily nodded and said, "Alright. That sounds okay."

"Okay." He nodded back, breaking his stride next to Lily's classroom. "Here we are. I'll see you later, Red."

He held to his arm that was carrying Lily's bag, and she reluctantly took it.

Just as he was leaving, Lily cried out, "James, wait."

He turned around and faced her, a blank expression on his face.

She bit her lip.

She had to say _something _to the bloke, didn't she?

"Thank you."

He remained impassive for a minute, and Lily was afraid he was going to retaliate with, "_Thank you? _I drop my only free day of the week to sit in a stuffy library to teach a useless loon Transfiguration, and all I get is a _thank you?"_

Instead, his face broke into a grin, and he shot back a quick, "Don't mention it."

"Eight?" Lily asked, just to be sure.

"Eight." He promised back.

Lily knew it was all a train wreck before it even left the station, but still. She had to give the bloke some credit for his hope.

* * *

Merlin.

_Merlin._

James Potter.

James Potter is a decent Transfiguration tutor.

James Potter actually taught Lily how to transfigure animals.

Very small animals, yes, but still.

It had started with Lily being sure that he'd be late, off doing something with his mates. She was rather surprised to find him patiently waiting for her in a table in the back of the library.

"Ready?" He'd said when he'd seen her. Lily scrapped up a chair on the opposite end of the table and plopped herself down, discarding her bag nearby.

"Ready." She'd confirmed.

"Alright." And then, honest to Merlin, he picked up his bag, _and it was growling._

The bag itself seemed normal, it wasn't doing the growling itself or anything, it was more like he'd stuffed a small animal in there.

"What is that?" Lily had demanded, jumping up from her seat.

"It's a cat, Red." He said stupidly, plunging his hand down the bag and pulling it out from the back of its neck.

"Why's you shove it in your bag, you nutter?" The redhead shrieked.

"Because Madame Pince has a strict no-animal rule in the library." James replied slowly, as if talking to a child. "Duh."

"You smuggled a cat in a bag." She shook her head, easing back into her seat. "You cut off its oxygen, you bloody tosser. It could have _died."_

"Not important." He dismissed. He laid the cat on the middle of the table, where it hissed indignantly. "Transfigure that."

"What?"

"Turn that cat into a frog."

Was he serious?

Lily was going to strangle him.

Could you get sent to Azkaban for killing someone without magic?

"I can't, Potter!" Lily cried out exasperatedly. "What's wrong with you? I told you the only thing I can transfigure is rolled up socks! That doesn't even apply to _all _socks, like the ones with toes! Just normal socks!"

"Calm down, Red." He said alarmingly, holding his hands out. "Look, it's not as hard as it looks. You just have to do the right wand movements."

And then he went on and on and on about wand movements, concentration, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

But what struck Lily was it had actually _worked; _she had successfully transformed her cat by the sixth try.

The frog let out a croak and remained in place.

"Not bad." James said. "I suppose I expected it to urn out a furry frog with paws and a tail. Not too shabby, Red."

"What are we supposed to do with it now?" Lily asked, leaning back on her seat. "Whose cat is it, anyway?"

"Matilda Stinson's." He answered. When Lily didn't show any sign of recognition, he said, "Muggle-born, fifth year, Gryffindor? Ring a bell?"

"Not really." She dismissed. "Am I supposed to turn that back now?" She gestured to the frog.

"Nah, I'll do it." He reached for the frog and threw him into his bag in one smooth motion. "I'll be easier to smuggle out, anyway."

Lily almost cracked a smile at that one. "Alright, so I guess your tutoring isn't complete rubbish."

"I'm offended at how offended at how surprised you sound."

They sat in an awkward silence for a minute.

It seemed like James wanted to ask her a question, but didn't know how to word it correctly. He kept opening and closing his mouth.

"Evans." He said slowly. "Did Wood ask you out again?"

The question caught her off guard. James looked like he was sharing an inside joke with himself.

"No."

"Sorry about that."

He sure didn't _sound sorry. _Lily didn't say that out loud, though.

"It's alright." She said briskly, bending to pick up her bag. "I'm off."

* * *

**One day earlier, Hospital Wing**

"I have to get going." James said distractedly. "Pomfrey wants to speak to me. Then I have some homework."

"Oh. Okay." Lily said slowly. "I'll be getting out any minute now, actually. For my date."

There she goes again, on and on about that stupid date of hers.

_What's so great about Robert Wood?_ James thought bitterly.

"You do that, Red." He said, as if he weren't bothered.

Which he wasn't.

He was merely annoyed that his beater didn't _tell _him about his date.

What if they had Quidditch practice that night? So in the end, it was really rather selfish for Wood to go and ask out anybody.

James picked up his bag and went to the end of the wing, where Madame Pomfrey was tending to a fourth year Slytherin that had purple warts and a five foot long, bloated tongue.

"You wanted to speak to me?" The Quidditch captain said impatiently.

"Ah, yes." She said, adjusting her glasses. "Go and ask Miss Evans if she's feeling alright. I'd do it myself, but I'm a bit tied up at the moment." She gestured at the fourth year, who seemed on the verge of tears.

James unwillingly walked all the way to Lily's bedside and said, "Pomfrey's told me to ask you; how have you been feeling?"

"Fine." She shrugged.

He then made his way back to Pomfrey and reported that her Majesty was feeling fine.

"Well, I suppose she should be able to leave now."

James tensed.

So soon?

Didn't she want to check her? What if her lungs were seriously damaged and she didn't know it?

"Are you sure?" James said nervously.

"I'm sure." She raised her eyebrow. "Is there something wrong?"

"No." He said hurriedly.

If Robert Wood thinks he's got the last laugh, then he is sadly mistaken.

James ran back to Lily with a sort of maniac excitement.

"She says you'll have to stay for another five hours."

_Ha._

James; 1, Robert; 0.

"What? "But I'll miss my date!"

It was for the sake of the Quidditch team, anyway.

He was obliged, being captain and all.

* * *

**A/N: At long last! So, I just wanted to let you know I did a little fancast for this story, and the link is on my profile, so feel free to check it out. And, I know this is off topic, but, Doctor Who 50th Anniversary, anyone? I'm going to piss my pants because** **I just heard five seconds ago on my tumblr that Moffat revealed that the episode will answer the Doctor's greatest secret, which I'm assuming is his name? More importantly, _DAVID TENNANT AND BILLIE PIPER._**

**I'm sorry, but it was necessary for my to inflict my opinion into the word.**

**You only live once, right?**

**This would be the part where I would reply to the reviewers. You know, if I had reviewers.**

**Please review.**

**This is an awkward situation for us both.**

**So then, don't forget to favorite, follow and review! Reviews (even negative ones, and especially helpful ones) are always welcome.**

**Seriously. Review.**

**YOLO,**

**Rose**

**P.S. I feel like I'm going to lose some followers for saying yolo.**


	5. That Time A Girl Died

**Name: **Of Lily And James

**Author: **Timelady-from-Gallifrey, a.k.a Rose, founder of the We-Hate-The-Constant-Stereotype-That-Lily-Evans-We ars-Green-And-Only-Green-To-Formal-Events-Or-Any-O ther-Event-I-Mean-Honestly-She's-Ginger-Not-Handic apped society. Or WHTCSTLEWGAOGTFEOAOEIMHSGNH. Our acronym isn't very popular. Neither are we, actually.

**Disclaimer: **Characters in this story (other than any obvious character that I make up myself) belong to J.K Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Warner Bros. Mostly J.K Rowling, though. My deepest apologies to none other that Miss Rowling, for I have an awful tendency to hijack some of her wonderful characters and throw them into a TARDIS and desert them in the wrong time period for my own selfish needs. Also, Doctor Who will be mentioned at various points in this story, so DW belongs to the BBC. Also, I'm trying to incorporate as much Amy Pond as I can into Lily, I don't really know why, I suppose I just really like the idea. Amelia Pond belongs to DW, DW to BBC, BBC to the Queen, and so on.

**Recap: **James and Lily get on good terms (it's disturbing to them, too) and he begins tutoring her in Transfiguration with the help of one Matilda Stinson's cat.

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."  
― Helen Keller

* * *

When the ministry officials had asked poor Alyssa Ericson what exactly had happened to her best friend (for their official report that they needed to submit) the young witch was hysterical.

Matilda Stinson was fairly normal. She had normal parents, both muggle accountants. She was a normal height, 5'6. She had very bright red hair (not an attractive dark red like Lily Evans, oh no. Matilda had very thin, very bright, and very ugly red hair) and small, dull brown eyes. She was virtually eyebrowless, on account of how light they were. She liked being called Tilda. She wasn't very popular. She had two friends, Maria Abbott and Alyssa Ericson. They were Gryffindors, just like her, and rather unfavored by the Hogwarts population, like her. She had one cat. It was an orange tabby, called Sammy. She loved that cat so much. She loved Maria and Alyssa, too, but that one cat meant the whole world to her. She would never let anyone even touch it; much less lend it to James Potter to practice Transfiguration on.

She'd always had a soft spot for James Potter. The way he constantly ruffled his hair, the way he was so brilliant at school, and brilliant at Quidditch, and a brilliant person in general.

One day, after their Astronomy class, which went well into the night, (Matilda had felt rather tired at the time and just wanted to get some sleep. She had complained to Alyssa on why they couldn't just study the stars during the day, or perhaps noon. She had felt exceptionally stupid once her own words registered with her) Matilda had noticed that she was missing her notes which she had taken the previous night. She had hurriedly explained her predicament to Professor Williams, who had given her sixteen minutes to dash to Gryffindor Tower, get her notes, and hurry back.

Matilda had ran as fast as her chubby little legs could carry her, and surprisingly, she made it to the portrait hole with time to spare.

She didn't know why, but Matilda felt as though someone was watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She shook her head; she knew she was being silly.

"Hopping Hippogriffs." She stammered quickly at the portrait hole, wishing to escape the (nonexistent, she reprimanded herself) gaze of her intruder.

"Why the rush?" The fat lady said, but swung herself open, nonetheless.

Matilda took her time to get to her dorm and collect her notes, hoping that whoever may or may not be waiting for her outside would grow weary and leave, even though she had to get back to her Astronomy class.

When the fifth year in question left the common room through the portrait hole and felt a soft hand on her shoulder, she jumped three or two feet in the air and let out a piecing scream.

"Matilda!" Alice Prewett had shrieked, quickly withdrawing her thin hand from Matilda as though she were electrocuted. "What's wrong with you?"

Alice, of course, didn't mean it that way. She was simply surprised by Matilda's skittish movements.

"Are you hurt?" She pressed on.

"A-Alice." The latter stammered. "I'm fine. I thought you were someone else."

"Well," The brunette said defensively, rubbing her hand as though it really _was _electrocuted. "I'm not."

_I can see that, _Matilda thought.

"What did you want?"

"I simply wanted to ask you what you were doing about at this time. It's almost curfew."

"What's it to you?" Matilda asked suspiciously. "I thought Lily Evans was the prefect?"

Alice looked sheepish. "I'm sort of covering for her."

"Why?"

"Because she's busy."

"Why?"

Alice was growing annoyed by Matilda Stinson and her stupid questions. "Because she is, Tilda. Drop it."

Matilda grew rather pink in the face. "Well, I'm out because I needed to get my notes." She held up her carelessly written Astronomy notes.

Alice checked her watch. "You probably won't have time to get back."

"I wonder whose fault _that _could be?"

"Sorry." Alice said sheepishly. "But if you weren't hounding me with those stupid repetitive _'why's _you would've made it on time-"

"Is someone having a bitch fight without me?"

"Not now, Black." Alice cautioned.

But Sirius (where he had appeared from, Matilda had no idea. But hey, she wasn't complaining) had ignored what Alice had said and swung his arm around her tiny shoulders, which apparently bothered her.

"What's going on?"

Matilda deeply envied how chummy Alice was with Sirius (No one said Matilda couldn't fancy two boys at once, after all. And it's not like Sirius was making it easy for her, what with that dark grey-blue button up shirt he was currently wearing that was only semi-way button at the top.) And who chummy she was with James, for that matter.

In fact, Matilda envied how chummy Alice was with _everybody. _

_Why _was it that cute, attractive girls like Alice were liked by just about everybody?

Yes, she was sort of nice and had that sweet, innocent look to her and yes, she did look a bit like Audrey Hepburn with her new haircut, especially with her hair up, but sod that all, Matilda deserved the attention just as much as she did.

"Sirius, really." Alice grumbled, trying to (half-heartily) push Sirius away, to no avail. "Not now."

Didn't she have a boyfriend, anyway?

"Aw, come on, Prewett." Sirius said cheerily. "I want in on some of the action, too."

"There is _no_ action." Alice said firmly, finally escaping his grasp. "Tilda, off to class. And Sirius, I better not catch you out after curfew."

"Are you busy?" The wizard asked impatiently, his long hair falling his face. He ran his hand through said hair nonchalantly.

Merlin, how Matilda dreamed of running her hands through his hair.

"Why?"

"Because you _said _you'd help me with my Arthimancy homework…"

Realization slowly dawned on Alice's face. "Oh, Sirius! I'm so sorry, I forgot! I've already promised Lily I'd do her patrols for her tonight…"

"Alright, I see how it is. Favoring Evans over me, is that it?"

"Sirius." She moaned, stomping her foot. Her eyes lit up and she looked up immediately at Matilda.

"Matilda, you're good at Arthimancy, right?"

"Of course I am!" Matilda cried cheerily.

She had never studied Arthimancy a day in her life.

She hadn't the slightest idea what Arthimancy was.

Even if she did, they (Alice and Sirius) were still a year more advanced than she was.

"Great! And-" She checked her watch once more "-you have five minutes till class ends, so you'd better hurry up. And when you come back, you can help Sirius, yeah?"

The wizard in question didn't seem particularly enthused by the idea, but shrugged.

"Right."

Alice had departed to finish her patrols, and Sirius mumbled a quick 'thank you' before heading back into the common room.

Matilda felt like the happiest girl alive. Right up until, when she was walking to her Astronomy class (floating, really. That's how happy she was) someone came up from behind and cruelly muttered a very low, yet very audible 'crucio' with his wand pointed in Matilda's general direction.

* * *

**The next day, Gryffindor Common room**

"I-i-i-it's m-my fa-a-a-ault!" Alice sobbed into her boyfriend, Frank Longbottom's shoulder.

"Don't be irrational." Marlene reasoned, patting her friend's frail shoulders. "We don't know for sure if she crucio'd herself; it could have been a student, or perhaps a mate with really bad aim, or…?"

"N-n-no!" She wailed. "I triggered her! I was so rude to her, and I called her s-stupid, and she was probably having an off day, and I triggered her!"

"You couldn't have done anything, Alice." James said impatiently.

"How would you know that?" She snapped.

James opened his mouth to argue that he was only trying to help, when the portrait hole swung open, revealing Lily Evans and none other than Remus Lupin himself, both talking to each other in hushed tones.

"But can you believe it?" Lily whispered, undoing her red scarf, even though the weather was barely cold enough for a scarf. Evans just loved wearing her stupid scarves everywhere. It's bloody _September, _for Godric's sake.

"Not at all." Remus shook his head, dropping his book bag to the ground. "Who would want to hurt Matilda?"

"I didn't know she even had enemies." Lily leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Me, too. But, to be fair, she wasn't particularly popular, either. She was sort of in between, you know?"

"Yeah."

"What are you two on about?" Sirius barked. "Where were you?"

"Emergency Prefect's meeting, Padfoot." Remus said irritably. "I only told you six times this morning."

"Since when did you have Prefect meetings at this time?" Peter asked dubiously.

"Since a girl was crucio'd to death." Lily rolled her eyes. James felt a bit of relief she wasn't rolling her eyes at him, for once.

"Oh." Peter went bright red.

"So what happened?" Frank leaned in. Alice, now sitting up for herself, seemed just as eager as he was to hear the news.

"Well," Remus began, offering Lily a chair. The witch shook her head no, and he proceeded to droop down on the chair himself. "Juniper Gamble –she's Head Girl- thinks Matilda didn't do herself in."

"And Steven Mycroft –Head Boy- pretty much agrees with her."

"McGonagall said she thinks so, too."

"_What?" _The previously silent Mary had demanded, ceasing from filing her nails. "What is it that everyone has agreed on?"

"Someone else cast the spell on her."

"…"

"Yeah."

"Are you saying," Alice said in a low voice, sucking in her breath. "That someone in this school is a murderer?"

"We don't know." Lily shook her head. "For all we know, it may not even have been a student."

"But how would someone have gotten in the castle?"

"Why Matilda?"

"Why crucio her to death?"

"Yeah, why not just 'avada kedavra', simple as that?"

"Did they intend on killing her, or did they lose track of time or something?"

"I don't know!" Lily snapped. "Next time I see them, I'll ask them, yeah? _Oi, pal, while you're at it, would you mind telling me why you killed that fifteen year old teenage girl? I'm cool if you don't want to talk about it. Did you do your Potions homework?"_

"Can I borrow your bitch pills, Lil?" Mary said sarcastically. "I ran out."

"More like overdosed." Lily muttered under her breath.

* * *

**Night, Gryffindor Boy's dorm**

He had been turning and thrashing in his bed since eight thirty, according to the clock on Wood's bedside, when he decided to turn in early.

James was rather alarmed to see puffs of smoke floating around the room. His head automatically snapped to Sirius's bed, where the lay on his back, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Did I disturb your beauty sleep?" He said, his eyes on the ceiling.

"What are you doing, you filthy bastard?" James shook his head. "You could've had the decency to go smoke outside. Moony's going to flip a shit if he wakes up."

"Two shits, even." Sirius agreed.

Giving up all hope for a peaceful night's slumber, James groggily got up and placed his glasses on, deciding indifferently to go sit near the fireplace in the common room.

He had very nearly missed the red hair of one Lily Evans peaking up from the scarlet chair that sat next to the fireplace, had he not heard the scratching of her quill.

"What are you doing up at midnight, Red?" James said, squinting at her.

She jumped a foot in the air in surprise and nearly fell face first into the fire, had she not steadied herself.

"I thought it was obvious." She held up her parchment, which had a bunch of scribbling about moons and planets. Lily's handwriting, James decided, was not exactly as lovely as she was. To say the least.

"Astronomy." She sniffed. "Rubbish, it is, but I suppose I'll-"

"Have you been _crying_, Red?" James said uncomfortably, sitting down on the chair across her. Upon further inspection, the witch before him had red-rimmed eyes.

"Of course I have, you blithering idiot!" She snapped.

"Why?"

"Because it's _my _fault she died."

"Don't pull an Alice on me, red-"

"I'm serious!"

"No, y-"

"Make that pun." She said quietly but darkly. "Make that pun and I will shove your wand up your nose so far up it'll poke your, quote unquote, brain."

"Why so harsh?" He tried to humor her, since he really had to idea how to make a crying girl feel better.

"Just shut up."

"What makes you think it's your fault?" he pressed on.

Lily turned her head to look into the fire, her profile lighting up with an orange glow.

"She died on my watch." She mumbled, keeping her eyes on the fire.

"What do you mean?"

"She died on _my _shift for patrols, Potter." Lily shook her head. There she goes again. Potter. It's like he didn't even have a first name. "I love Alice, but she isn't exactly prefect material; she's always so nice to people, she can never say no. She should have sent Matilda straight to her class, like I would've, not _chat _with her. I shouldn't have skipped patrols like I did, just to finish _this_ wretched assignment." She jutted her chin in the direction of the Astronomy essay, which now lay by her feet.

"Cut yourself some slack, Red." James comforted. It felt odd, he must admit, to be here, having a civil conversation with Lily Evans, of all people, like they were buddies. "They probably would've gotten her on her way to class, but the question is, _why?"_

Lily shook her head. "I've no idea, believe me. But…" She trailed off.

"What?" he said eagerly.

She shook her head again. "It's nothing. But, er, thank for trying to help, Potter."

He nodded. "James."

"What?"

"You can call me James, Red."

"And you can call me Lily, _James." _She countered.

James only smiled at her and raised his palms in surrender. "I'll think about it."

Lily gave him what seemed like a ghost of a smile, but it quickly vanished.

She looked at him as though noticing his presence for the first time.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

* * *

**Girl's dorm, 7 AM**

"Lily." She heard a voice say softly. "Lily, get up."

"Ughh." Lily said inaudibly, covering the top of her head with a pillow.

"Lily, get up."

"Girl died. No classes."

"Lily." Alice sighed impatiently. "There's an assembly at the Great Hall, and prefects are required to guide the first years."

"_What?" _Lily shrieked, jumping straight out of her bed. "What are you talking about? That's not for another-"

Lily got a good look at all her friends whom stood before her, patiently waiting for her to get dressed.

"You have," Marlene checked her watch. "Five minutes to get dressed."

Lily stabbed a red nail polish tipped finger at Mary. "You were supposed to wake me up, you rubbish mate!"

"I tried!" Mary said defensively. "You sleep like a Hungarian Horntail during winter, Merlin! How late were you up, anyway?"

"No time to argue." Alice said. She threw open the top of Lily's trunk and tossed her a red sweater and jeans skirt and her grey stockings. "Put that on, quick."

"Um," Lily said stupidly, looking gingerly at her skirt. "This one's a bit short; could you get me the black wool one? It goes really well with-"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Right," Lily mumbled, dashing to the bathroom and practically ripping her clothes off and throwing the ones Alice tossed her (that skirt must have been from her fifth year, it was so short) on.

Lily poked her head out the door. "Where are my-?" She stopped short.

Marlene held out Lily's worn out white sneakers while simultaneously rolling her eyes.

"Thanks." She hurriedly put them on and sat down on the edge of Mary's bed, holding her feet up.

Lily claimed that her knots never held together long enough, but in reality, (and she was too proud to admit this) she had no idea on how to tie her shoelaces.

Mary, following their daily morning ritual, bent down with an irritable sigh and quickly did Lily's shoelaces.

"Should I put my hair up, or-?"

"You look fine!" Marlene said, grabbing Lily's arm and quickly leading her outside.

"Where are the first years?" Lily whipped her head around the empty common room.

"I think Remus might've taken them?" Alice offered.

They had to run to get to the Great Hall on time, with Mary complaining the entire time that her feet hurt from her heels, while Alice kept angrily telling her I told you so, but with great difficulty, they finally made it.

The professors were still trying to rally the students, while Dumbledore patiently waited from his seat.

"I should find Remus." Lily suggested to her friends. "To apologize."

They are nodded in agreement, and Lily set off to find her fellow prefect.

Several times, Lily thought she saw him, but she turned out mistaken each time, so she resolved to find Potter; where he was, the other three Marauders weren't far behind.

She scoured the buzzing crowd, until she saw a very untidy black head stand out from them.

"Potter!" Lily elbowed her way towards him. "Potter." She repeated, tapping his shoulder, yet he still acted like he hadn't heard her.

She rolled her eyes. "_Fine_. James?"

He immediately spun around to face her and grinned, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Yeah, yeah." She dismissed. "Where's Remus?"

"Oh." He said solemnly. "Remus is a steaming cauldron of anger right now. In fact," He stood on tiptoe and peered at the crowd. "There he is."

"Re-!"

"I am a steaming cauldron of anger right now." He announced, looking irritably at Lily. "Where were you, Lily? I had to get those first years lined up by myself."

"How was it?" She asked anxiously.

"Do you know that feeling when you think you're going to screw up, but then you don't and it turns out brilliant?"

"Yeah?" She said hopefully.

"The exact opposite of that."

"Oh." She deflated. "Are you angry with me?"

"No." He sighed. "You should get to your mates before they ask us to-"

"Sit down!" McGonagall said.

"Where's Padfoot?" James asked Remus, sitting down on the Gryffindor table.

"He's on his way." Remus answered, sitting next to him. "Wormtail's waiting for him."

Not having anytime to find her friends, Lily sat down next to Remus.

"You may, or may not know, that two days ago, Miss Matilda Stinson had been murdered."

The entire castle broke into whispers the moment the words had left the old wizard's mouth.

"It is with a heavy heart that I deliver this news." Dumbledore went on. "But Professor Beevy has asked to speak on my own behalf."

Professor Beevy, a very old, very large Herbology teacher, wobbled up to take the Headmaster's place.

"Yes, it is very, er, excruciating to deliver this news." He said, a sad look on his round face. "Matilda had a very promising future; she always had the best grades, and she was rather popular, wasn't she?"

Both statements were wrong, but Lily didn't correct him.

"But we must take this matter very, very seriously." Lily heard a familiar voice make a pun on his choice of words, which indicated that Sirius was now seated next to James.

"So, to take precautions, I suggest we make awareness posters!"

The entire castle went up in uproar, shouting bloody murder, until Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick calmed them down.

"Ridiculous!"

"Useless!"

"Pathetic!"

"Brilliant! If I were a killer, I sure would turn myself in if I _saw a poster about it!" _

"Quiet!" McGonagall said sharply.

"I know you may seem hesitant at first," Beevy said earnestly. "But once you see how much fun _my _house is having, you'll want to join in!"

All at once, everyone turned to peer at the Hufflepuff table, where one girl coughed and shouted, "Don't drag us into this."

Beevy had either ignored her, or simply didn't hear her. "Nonetheless, I'll expect each house to make one poster, at least! And remember-!"

The entire castle groaned, knowing for certain what he was about to utter.

"-have fun!"

He dismissed them, with but not before a quick word from Dumbledore informing them that classes will start tomorrow.

"Have fun, my arse." Lily said as the crowd began to scatter, grabbing Remus and James's wrists and dragging them with her as she went along.

"Where are we going?" Remus interjected.

"Are you taking us to an empty classroom to molest us?" James asked.

Lily ignored his question and chose to answer Remus instead. "We're not standing for this. A girl _died, _Remus, _died! _And they're telling us to make _posters?_ What about the Ministry? Surly the Minister for Magic will send some Aurors to check this out._" _

"But what are we supposed to do?" James said.

"We're going to talk some sense into Dumbledore." She said firmly. "Beevy's off his rocker."

* * *

"This is pathetic."

"Shut up, Potter. He has people from the Ministry in there. We have to wait."

"You don't even know the password, for Merlin's sake."

"Shut _up."_

"What, you thought we'd chuck rocks at his door till he answers like in that stupid book?"

"Cassandra Bellmore is twice the writer you'll ever be."

"Don't stick your nose in the air at me-"

"Sorry, the stench of your idiocy is too harsh on my nose."

"…"

"…"

"Touché."

"I try."

"Are you two done?" Remus said impatiently. "I hope you know I'm not going in there with you."

"Why not?" Lily complained. "We need you!"

"Wanna know what I need?" Remus said in mock excitement. "Anything but detention."

"We're not going to cause trouble!" Lily promised. "Please?"

He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'll go, but I'm not speaking."

"Fine. But-"

Just then, the door to Dumbledore's office swung open, and a man wearing expensive looking robes with a Ministry badge pinned to his chest swaggered out, with Dumbledore following behind him.

"Thank you again for your time." He said to the Headmaster.

"It was a pleasure."

After the Auror was out of earshot, Lily said, "Professor?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"We were wondering-" she caught the look Remus was sending her. "Me and James, were wondering if we could speak to you for five minutes?"

He smiled kindly at them and gestured for them to enter.

Remus sat down on one of the two chairs that sat in front of the Headmaster's table, and Lily, assuming that James would typically take the last seat and leave her standing, was baffled when he motioned for her to sit instead.

Needless to say, she was happy to oblige.

"Professor," She began sincerely. "Not to disrespect Beevy-"

"_Professor _Beevy." He corrected.

"Yes, that's what I meant," She said hurriedly. "Not to disrespect Professor Beevy, but really, posters?"

"You don't like the idea?" Dumbledore raised his eyebrows amusedly.

"It's not that we don't like it," Lily explained. "it's just that we think it's-"

"Stupid." James finished.

"That's one way to put it, yes. We should be doing so much more, like take further safety precautions, secure the castle, try to find the killer, investigate the case?"

"I must say, Lily." He said a twinkle in his eye. "You are a natural born leader."

She felt herself blush. "Thank you, Professor."

"But I'm afraid to say that the case won't be looked into."

"_What?" _Lily and James said at the same time.

"What do you mean?" James demanded. "Of course they have to look into it! It's a bloody murder!"

"I'm afraid it's true. To put it as they did, 'Hundreds of wizards are being murdered all the time; we can't invest into one measly death that could very well just be another suicide.'"

"That's rubbish!" Lily said. "You don't believe that it's a suicide, do you, Professor?"

"I regret to say that it doesn't matter what I think." He said sadly. "They came, made some reports, and then left and deemed it a suicide."

"This is rubbish." Lily repeated, shaking her head. "All of it."

"I'll say." James agreed, disgusted.

"Dare I say that's all you have to discuss on the matter?"

They were far from that, but Lily nodded on both of their behalf.

* * *

**WE ARE AT WAR, **

**Brutus Malfoy**

"_Several days after the unfortunate death (later found to be murder) of Miss Matilda Stinson, 15, whom attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a man wearing a mask walked into the Ministry of Magic._

_Thank Merlin, he had not gone near the Minister, but he had delivered a message; He was a messenger of the dark lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and he had been sent to deliver the following: 'All those of impure blood shall perish, may it be now or next year, one by one, they will all fall, as will anyone who stands in the Dark Lord's way. The Dark Lord shall prevail.' He proceeded to shoot a jet of green light from his wand, which formed a skull with the tongue of a snake in the air, signaling the beginning of a war._

_He had enough time to escape through the Floo network before his identity had been revealed._

_We are at war, my friends. The day has come._

_But, the question that we need to ask ourselves is, why? Why are we at war? Because of the Muggleborns, that's why._

_Muggleborns have a higher chance of birthing Squibs than Purebloods or Halfbloods do, statistics show. Therefore, the more Muggleborns we allow into the magical community, the higher we risk ourselves dying out. We need to ask ourselves, are they really worth it? _

_The answer, of course, is no. Muggleborns don't know of the existence of magic until they receive their acceptance from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So technically speaking, if we were to eliminate the existence of Muggleborns from our community, they wouldn't be missing anything. They wouldn't know that they were being eliminated. I and my colleague's here at _Warlock At War _believe in a dream, that a community free of muggle blood is a healthy, happy, and safe community. Together, we can make that dream a reality."_

"Shit." James breathed, setting the paper down near the pumpkin juice pitcher.

"Double shit." Sirius agreed.

* * *

**Wow, 17 pages without even trying? I think I'm going to faint! **

**I was going to finish this, like, two weeks from now but I was too excited that I got my first review that I simply couldn't wait!**

**Did you notice the Amy Pond outfit bit? Hehe.**

**I'll be slipping you Doctor Who Easter eggs every now and then, so keep your eyes peeled.**

**Trust me, later in the story, you'll thank me for making Lily unable to tie her own shoelaces.**

**I'm really, really, really sorry, but there is a strong possibility that the next chapter will be set four months from now, meaning I'll be skipping the first phase of Lily and James's friendship. I'm also afraid that the next chapter will not be posted until three more weeks, after I've finished my exams.**

** GoMaraudersandLily: First, thank you so much for being my first reviewer! It means the world to me 3 And yes, I also thinks it's best when we get to see the same situation from different points of view, which many other fanfic's don't do, unfortunately. I'm thinking of going all out in future chapters and giving each character a point of view.  
**

**Please, review!**

**Cheers,**

**Rose**


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